The Therapist
by Lokiismylife
Summary: Months after the battle between Loki and the Avengers, Natalie McKenzie (OC) finds the god on her living room floor. Not recognizing him, she takes him in. That is, until Thor crashes through her window and grabs Loki, starting a chain of events that will change Loki and the Avengers for the better.
1. Chapter 1

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter One: Loki**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the movie The Avengers.**

 **Warnings/Author's Notes: This is an OC-centric story, and I wrote it mainly for my own enjoyment, so if you hate it, please don't flame me about it. I already know the story isn't that great. I'll try to post a chapter a day, but if you don't like OOC characters or OCs, you might want to stop reading now.**

 _What did I do in life to deserve this?_ That was the first thought on Natalie McKenzie's mind when she found a dark-haired man in her living room, unconscious. Natalie was starting to be very glad she lived alone as she carefully went over to the man and knelt next to him. He didn't seem to be injured, but when she put a hand on his forehead, she noticed he had a pretty high fever.

 _Okay…. so I've got an unconscious guy who appears to be some kind of cosplayer on my floor, with no clue how he managed to get in,_ Natalie thought. _And he's sick. Great…. I can't just leave him on the floor, so I guess I'd better wake him up and ask him why he's here._

She sighed and shook the man gently. No response. She shook him a little harder, and said, "Hey, wake up."

This time the man stirred and warily opened his eyes. They were the greenest eyes Natalie had ever seen, and after looking at his eyes for a moment, she shook herself out of thought and asked, "Who are you? And why are you in my apartment?"

The man looked at her warily for a minute or so, but finally said, "I am known as Loki."

"I'm Natalie. So…. why are you in my apartment?" Natalie asked.

"I have no idea," Loki said- then started coughing.

Natalie groaned. "Why aren't you at home?" she asked. "It's not good for you to be walking around when you're sick."

Loki eyed her with something akin to curiosity. "You are…. Unusual," he said finally.

"How exactly is asking why you're not home in bed when you've obviously got the flu 'unusual'?" Natalie asked irritably. "For most of us, that's a fairly normal reaction. You should be glad this isn't my mother's living room, or she'd first scream the place down and then go into 'mother hen mode' and you'd never get to leave."

Loki eyed her for another minute before saying, "Most would either hate or fear me; you have not done either. That is why I say you are unusual."

"You're not some serial rapist or something, right?" Natalie asked suspiciously. "Because if so, I am calling the police and letting THEM deal with you."

Loki looked offended for a brief moment before smoothing his facial features and saying with a hint of indignation, "I am NOT a rapist."

"So…. why do people fear you?" Natalie asked. Loki started coughing again before he could respond, and Natalie decided more questioning could wait. She got up and moved the ottoman in front of the couch, then unfolded it into a bed. She often had friends who needed a place to crash, so the sofa bed was always ready. She put a large pillow at the head of the bed and turned to Loki, then said, "I'll be back, I'm getting blankets. Stay put."

Loki just looked bemused, so Natalie went to get blankets, coming back from the closet with three and spreading them over the bed. She looked at Loki critically, and said, "I'm getting a spare pair of pajamas too. All that leather can't be comfortable for sleeping." She turned on her heel and went to her bedroom, picking out a pair of black sweatpants and on impulse, a green t-shirt. She took them back to Loki and asked, "Can you stand? You can change in the bathroom, and you can leave those boots in here."

"Why are you being nice?" Loki asked as he stood up somewhat shakily.

"You haven't given me a reason to be nasty," Natalie replied, handing him the pajamas. "Bathroom's around the corner." She pointed, and Loki hesitantly took the pajamas and followed her directions. When he was gone, Natalie sighed and vaguely wondered what she was getting into.

When Loki came back, he looked exhausted. Natalie took one look at him and said, "Bed. Now. You look like you're about to collapse."

"I am not about to collapse," Loki said.

"I'm not blind, Loki," Natalie sighed. She closed the curtains, darkening the room, and said firmly, "Go. To. Bed."

Loki grumbled something that sounded like cursing, and Natalie sighed, went over to him, and dragged him over to the sofa bed. She pulled back the blankets, pushed Loki down onto the bed, and gave him a stern look. He glared back, and Natalie asked, "Do you want to get better or not?"

"I do not understand why you are so concerned for my wellbeing," Loki said.

"I don't know either, but it feels right," Natalie said. "Are you going to bed?"

"No," Loki said grouchily. Natalie sighed and pushed him down against the pillows, then said, "I will sit on you if you don't go to sleep."

"Why exactly are you so insistent on having me sleep?" Loki asked irritably.

"You're sick and you won't get better if you don't sleep," Natalie said bluntly. "You're acting like a six-year-old, you know."

"If I agree to sleep, will you leave me alone?" Loki asked, ignoring the six-year-old comment.

"Yup, I'll be making dinner," Natalie said.

Loki looked at her somewhat warily, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to poison it, if that's what you're worried about," she said. "Are you always this paranoid?"

"Maybe," Loki said.

Natalie sighed. "Okay then," she said. "I'll go make some kind of soup, and you should sleep. I promise I'm not going to kill you in your sleep or anything like that."

Loki just glared at her, and Natalie sighed, then went to the kitchen and started looking around. She didn't have the ingredients for chicken noodle soup, but she did have the ingredients for miso soup, so she started making that.

Half an hour later, the soup was done, and Natalie turned off the stove. She ladled some soup into a bowl, and got a spoon, then went back to Loki. She was somewhat surprised that he had actually fallen asleep, but got worried when she noticed he was shivering, and looked scared. _Is he having a nightmare?_ she wondered. Setting the soup down on a table, she went over to Loki and gently put a hand on his cheek, saying, "Loki. Loki, wake up."

Loki's eyes shot open, but they looked blank, like he couldn't see her. "Loki, can you hear me?" Natalie asked gently. "You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you, I promise."

Loki's eyes slowly focused on her, and after a few moments he asked uncertainly, "Natalie?"

"Welcome back," Natalie said. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

"No," Loki said.

"Alright, but let me know if you do want to talk," Natalie said. "I made miso soup, are you hungry?"

"I am fine," Loki replied, sitting up.

"That's not what I asked, I asked if you were hungry," Natalie said. "And you look way too thin to NOT be hungry."

"Why is it that you care?" Loki asked. "No one cares about me, and yet you go out of your way to help a person you have never met."

"Do you always need a reason to help someone?" Natalie asked. "You've already said you have no idea why you were in my living room, and since you obviously didn't come here to harm me, I see no reason not to help you. On top of that, you're sick. I'm not going to kick someone who's sick out onto the streets, no matter what. And I have no clue why no one cares about you, but that's just wrong. What about your family?"

An emotion Natalie correctly identified as pain flitted across Loki's face before he returned to looking stoic and said, "My 'family', as you call it, could care less about my wellbeing."

"Abusive upbringing?" Natalie asked.

Loki stared at her in shock. "I'll take that as a yes," Natalie said. "Loki, the ones who abused you are the ones at fault, not you. If you had been raised in a loving household, you wouldn't think the way you do. It's obvious that you think you don't deserve help or care, and that that idea was drilled into you by someone else. You believe you're worthless for some reason, most likely because whoever raised you also made sure you would remember their words on the matter. You also have an inferiority complex, most likely due to your parents having favoritism issues- which suggests you have a sibling. You've been living in said sibling's shadow your whole life, and were often reminded that you would never match up to him or her. Part of the feeling worthless thing you've got going is that you were probably told repeatedly that you'd never be as good as your sibling, and I wouldn't be surprised if you were punished for things your sibling did. Whether the abuse you suffered was physical, verbal, or both, it resulted in your current state. You believe that you deserve the abuse, because you've made mistakes that were made out to be bigger than they actually were. Your sibling could make the same mistakes and get a lesser punishment, therefore making you believe you were somehow inferior to him or her. Everyone is special in their own way, Loki. Whether or not you're good at sports or your studies, art or music, no two people are supposed to be exactly alike. Even identical twins can have different interests and excel at different things. I'm sure that whatever you're good at, just because it's not what your sibling is good at, does not make you less than them. You are not your sibling, and it's cruel and unfair of your parents to expect you to be exactly like your sibling. Whatever they did to you in the past is not your fault. The blame lies solely on your family, for not understanding that you are your own person and just because you can't excel at the same things as your sibling, doesn't make you weak or inferior."

Loki was gaping at her, completely shocked. "I take it I was right?" Natalie asked.

Loki nodded, still shocked. "Analyzing people is my talent," Natalie said. "It's why I went into training to be a therapist as opposed to a regular doctor. Well, that and the fact that becoming a regular doctor requires a class where they make you dissect things. I simply took cues from your behavior and your words, and put them into a logical form and explained them. I know it'll take more than one pep talk to convince you that you're not worthless and you don't deserve to be hurt, but I want you to remember that I, at least, don't believe you're worthless, and I certainly don't believe that you deserve to be hurt. No one deserves an abusive upbringing, no matter what your parents may have told you. And if you ever decide you need someone to talk to, I'll be here."

"…..Thank you," Loki said quietly.

"You're welcome," Natalie said with a smile. "I think you should get some sleep; it's after eleven already. I'm going to do the same; call if you need anything."

Loki nodded, and Natalie went off to get ready for bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Two: The Avengers**

 _ **8:00 the next morning:**_ Natalie woke up to what sounded like shattering glass, and ran for the living room, only to see Loki being dragged out the window by some guy with long blond hair and a red cape- who she vaguely recognized from the news reports about the destruction in New York City a few months ago. "STOP IT!" Natalie screamed. "What the hell are you doing, and why did you smash my window!? Better yet, why are you trying to kidnap Loki?"

Both men turned to her as she stormed over- and then the blonde man leaped out the window, Loki in tow. Natalie raced to the window, and saw them FLYING towards Avengers Tower- which wasn't that far away. Natalie didn't waste any time; she went straight back to her room, got dressed and pulled her hair back quickly, then grabbed her purse and shoved in her keys and cell phone. She pulled on a pair of sneakers, left and locked her apartment, and started running for Stark Tower.

 _ **At Avengers Tower:**_ Thor had brought Loki to Avengers Tower, where they found the other Avengers waiting for them. Before they could discuss what exactly they were going to do next, JARVIS said, "Sir, there is a young woman outside your tower demanding to know what 'the blonde idiot' did with Mr. Laufeyson, and why he had to smash her window."

Tony looked at Thor for an explanation, and he said, "I may have smashed her window, yes."

Bruce sighed. "Are we letting her in?" he asked.

JARVIS took that moment to say, "She asks me to inform you that if someone does not let her in and explain, she is going to break the front door down."

"Fine, let her in," Tony said. "Though I doubt she'd be able to break it down…."

"Tony, is this a good idea?" Clint asked.

Tony just shrugged as a young woman who looked absolutely furious stormed into the room. "Just out of curiosity, how did you know Loki was here?" Tony asked.

"I saw Blondie flying in this direction, and watched him land on the roof," Natalie said shortly. "I don't live too far away, so I ran here. Do I get an explanation?"

"Can we get your name first?" Bruce asked.

"Natalie McKenzie," Natalie said.

"Is there a reason you had Loki at your house?" Natasha asked.

"I found him on my living room floor, and he had no clue what he was doing there, so since he also had a cold or something, I decided I'd let him stay," Natalie said. "I don't understand why that is such a problem, or why Blondie decided it was necessary to drag Loki out my now-broken window. I do have a front door, you realize."

"Something tells me Thor was not aware of that," Loki said dryly.

Natalie went over to him, ignoring the others, and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," Loki said.

Natalie felt his forehead, and said flatly, "No, you're not. After I figure out why these people are into kidnapping, I'm taking you back to my place, and helping you get better."

"That may not be an option, Miss McKenzie," Clint said. "Thor took Loki here because he escaped from Asgard and is required back."

"Asgard is the home of the Norse gods," Natalie said slowly. The others waited as her eyes widened, and finally she turned to Loki and said softly, "You're the real Loki; it's not just a name."

"Yes," Loki said.

"He's also the one who destroyed New York a few months ago, which is why he can't stay," Clint said gruffly.

Natalie looked back at Loki, and noticed something in his eyes. "Loki, did you destroy New York of your own free will?" she asked. "Because that look in your eyes doesn't look like you enjoyed destroying the city."

"You are correct," Loki said. "I was not doing that of my own free will, nor did I particularly enjoy destroying the city. I do not necessarily like humans- but I also do not like wanton killing for the sake of killing."

"Why should we trust anything you say?" Clint asked.

"I did not ask you to," Loki replied. "I would, however, recommend listening to Natalie's views, as she is unusually perceptive."

Everyone else looked at Natalie. "I'm two months away from getting my doctorate to become a therapist," she said. "And I have an innate talent for psychoanalysis. It took me about ten minutes to analyze Loki- and judging by the look he gave me, I was spot on. And yes, I am very perceptive. It's part of the job description."

"T-ten _minutes!?"_ Tony sputtered. "We spent months trying to figure him out, and you did it in ten MINUTES!?"

"Yes," Natalie said calmly. "And since he was being controlled when he attacked the city, I didn't need to analyze that."

"Anything else we need to know?" Clint asked, rubbing his forehead wearily.

"Loki has PTSD," Natalie said. "Which means that if you put him in jail, you'll end up with far more problems than you'll be able to deal with later on. If you HAVE to punish him for something that wasn't his fault, you'd be better off sending him to therapy."

Before the others could respond, Loki started coughing, and then he collapsed. Natalie caught him, and noticed he was unconscious. She felt his forehead and gasped slightly. "What is wrong?" Thor asked.

"Loki's burning up," Natalie said. "I'd suggest taking him back to my place, but with the living room window smashed in, I'd have to clean up first. I guess I could give him my room till he's better though."

"Do you have medicine?" Tony asked.

"I have basic fever medicine, but I don't have anything for the flu," Natalie admitted.

"Then he'd be better off here; I have plenty of spare rooms and I can get medicine," Tony said. "Are you staying with him?"

"Is that okay?" Natalie asked. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch or something, but I feel like I should be here for Loki."

"I'm fine with it," Tony said, looking at the others, who shrugged.

"I think it is a fine idea," Thor said. "Friend Stark, will you give these two a room?"

"Sure, there's a nice room on the third floor," Tony said.

"How many floors do you have, anyways?" Natalie asked, curious. She handed Loki to Tony, and he carried him off. Natalie followed as Tony said, "Ninety-three floors."

"That's a LOT," Natalie said. She stepped into the elevator with Tony, and said somewhat sheepishly, "I apologize for threatening to break your door down earlier."

"It's reinforced metal, I doubt you'd succeed," Tony said. The elevator stopped, and they got out as Tony asked, "You care about Loki, don't you?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "Something about him makes me want to help him. I can't really explain why, though."

Tony made a non-committal noise and said, "Here's the room I mentioned."

The door slid open as they approached it, and Natalie went in first. It was an enormous room, with a green theme to it. There was a huge bed, a fluffy-looking couch, a nightstand with a lamp on it next to the bed, a wooden dresser, what appeared to be a walk-in closet, a desk with a chair, and a bathroom at the back. Natalie went over to the bed and pulled the blankets back. Tony came over and set Loki down on the bed, and Natalie tucked him in. He stirred as Natalie pulled the blankets over him, and opened his eyes blearily. "Loki?" Natalie asked softly.

"What…. happened?" Loki asked, his voice scratchy.

"You passed out," Natalie said. "You're really sick; I think you caught the flu. And it looks like we're both staying here until you've recovered."

Loki became tense, and then asked, "And after I recover?"

"You can move in with me if you want to," Natalie said. "And if your abusive family tries to stop you, I'll just take them down."

Loki looked at her dubiously. "I sincerely doubt you would stand a chance against Thor, much less Odin," he said.

"I'll just insult them until they get so mad they start making mistakes," Natalie said casually. "That usually works."

"You know how to fight?" Loki asked, sounding slightly startled.

"I'm a black belt in karate, and I took gymnastics for over ten years on top of that, so yes, I can fight, and I'm very flexible," Natalie said.

"I hate to break you two up," Tony began in a voice that said he wasn't sorry at all, "But Natalie, do you need anything from your house?"

"Oh right," Natalie said. "None of you are going to harm Loki while I'm gone, right?"

"Overprotective much?" Tony snickered, earning himself a death glare from Natalie. He just snickered and said, "I promise none of us will harm Reindeer Games."

Natalie looked at him oddly, and finally said, "Fine. I don't really want to know where that nickname came from, so I'll just go pack some stuff and come back." She looked at Loki, and asked, "Will you be alright on your own for a while?"

"I will be fine," Loki said.

Natalie smiled and started to leave, then noticed Tony wasn't going anywhere. "Mr. Stark, you'd better not talk Loki's ear off if you're staying," she warned Tony.

"It's Tony, and I won't," Tony said.

Natalie sighed and left. She figured out quickly how to get downstairs, and left the building, then walked home at a brisk pace, not wanting to be gone too long. She found that her apartment building had a bunch of police cars surrounding it, and groaned. One of the officers noticed her, and asked, "Miss, is that your apartment?"

"Yep," Natalie said. "I came back to get my stuff; I'm sleeping at a friend's house for now."

"What happened?" the officer asked. "We got a very strange report of a man throwing a hammer through your window and dragging someone out of it- but the person described doesn't match your appearance."

"My roommate got dragged out, and I found him and took him to my friend's place because he has the flu," Natalie said. "I don't know why the other guy dragged him off, but he's safe, and I need to get back to him. Can I go now?"

"Fine…" the officer said, letting her through. Natalie went upstairs and went to her room, packed a bag, and headed out again, back to Avengers Tower. JARVIS let her in, and she went back to the room she was sharing with Loki. On her way, she saw Tony coming out of the room, and he waved at her. "Hey, I think we should have a meeting with the others," he said. "Meet us in the kitchen, we'll have breakfast ready."

"Thanks," Natalie said. She took the bag to the bedroom, and set it on the sofa. Loki looked at her as she came over, and she said, "Apparently I'm meeting with the others. Do you need anything before I go?"

"Sleep," Loki said dryly. "Stark ignored your warning and talked the entire time you were gone."

"I'll have a word with him," Natalie said, and left again. She got to the kitchen, and found all the others assembled there, eating waffles. Tony handed her a plate, and she nodded in thanks before sitting down. The others eyed her for a minute, and she noticed Thor wasn't there anymore. "Where'd the blonde idiot go?" she asked.

"Thor went back to Asgard to tell Odin that Loki was under your protection and to leave him alone at least until he recovers," Clint said. "You didn't tell anyone where you were going, right?"

"I simply told the police who asked that I was staying with friends," Natalie replied. "They didn't question me much, and I didn't say anything about any of you or Loki. Unless they followed me, they won't know I'm here. I suppose you all are planning on questioning me?"

"Reindeer Games was right, you are perceptive," Tony muttered.

Clint glared at Tony and then said to Natalie, "Yes, that was the plan. We simply need to know if we can trust you."

"I have no intention of betraying you," Natalie said. "I simply want to help Loki. I'll answer any questions you have for me, if that makes you feel better."

"I guess we'll start with the basics, then," Clint said. "Full name?"

"Natalie Allison McKenzie."

"Age?"

"Twenty-two."

"What's your relationship to Loki?"

"Despite the fact I've known him for less than two days, I'd say he's a friend."

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes."

"Even though he's commonly known as the God of Lies?"

"He hasn't lied to me so far- except to tell me he was fine when he quite obviously wasn't. I think that's a guy thing." Natalie smirked when the guys at the table all twitched.

"Does it bother you that he nearly destroyed the city a few months ago?"

"Considering he wasn't in control of himself at the time, not particularly. I'm not thrilled the city was almost destroyed, but I don't blame Loki for something he did under mind control."

"How do you know he wasn't lying about that?"

"I saw the look in his eyes and his body language. He wasn't lying when he said he was under mind control. I've heard that people's eyes look different when they're under mind control; did anyone notice anything about his eyes during that battle?"

"They were blue," Bruce said. "Other than that, no."

"Loki has green eyes," Natalie said. "His eyes aren't blue, and they haven't been since I met him. I'd say that there's your answer."

"Clint's eyes were blue when Loki was controlling him," Natasha said thoughtfully.

"Well, I guess that settles that question," Tony said.

Clint sighed and asked Natalie, "Do you swear not to reveal anything you may learn while staying here?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "I won't even tell anyone I was staying here if you don't want me to. I have plenty of friends in the area who I might be staying with. And I don't have a landline, so it's not like anyone's going to be asking me where I am."

"If you were to describe Loki, what would you say?" Steve asked.

"Broken," Natalie said without hesitation, causing the others to look at her.

"Broken?" Tony repeated.

"He has PTSD, abandonment issues, a serious inferiority complex, and he and Thor have the worst case of sibling rivalry I've ever seen- which is saying something," Natalie said. "And at least one of his parents was SERIOUSLY abusive- I'm guessing Odin. Loki literally believes he's worthless, and that he deserves to be abused. I get the sense that it goes beyond just Odin's abuse and both his parents' blatant favoritism of Thor, but I can't confirm that. He hides it behind lies and masks, and he does a damn good job of it, but I've always been able to read people better than my peers. Loki is the single most broken person I've ever met, and to be quite honest, I'm not sure he will ever fully recover from what he's gone through. That may be why I'm so drawn to him; I've always been determined to help people with their problems, and if anyone needs help with problems, it's Loki- no matter what he may have to say about the matter."

The others were silent for a few minutes, and then the silence was broken by JARVIS saying, "Miss McKenzie, Mr. Laufeyson is asking for you."

"He found out I told these guys, right?" Natalie asked as she headed to the nearest elevator.

"Not to my knowledge; he is simply asking for you," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. She reached the elevator, and stepped in, saying, "Third floor please, JARVIS."

The elevator doors closed, leaving the Avengers sitting at the table to talk. "Why do you think Loki was asking for Natalie?" Tony asked.

"Maybe because he needs something and doesn't trust the rest of us enough to ask," Bruce said.

"I'm just puzzled as to why he trusts anyone, much less a girl he met not even two days ago," Tony said. "Makes me wonder what she said when she analyzed him yesterday."

 **There's another chapter; thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, or followed this story so far.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Three: Fury**

 _ **With Natalie:**_ Natalie left the elevator and ran down the hall, then opened the door to Loki's and her bedroom, slipping in and shutting it behind her. Loki was lying in the bed, and he looked up as she came over. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You were gone for a long time," Loki said.

"I'm sorry," Natalie said, sitting down on the bed with him. "They had questions for me."

"About me?" Loki asked.

"Mainly, yes," Natalie said. "I think they just wanted to know if they could trust both of us."

"What was your response?" Loki asked.

"I told them that I trust you," Natalie said. "You've never given me any reason not to trust you- and I am scarily good at seeing through lies and masks."

"So what do those skills tell you about me now?" Loki asked.

"That you're putting up a brave front when the truth is that you feel awful," Natalie said. "And you're mainly doing it because you've been told multiple times that showing weakness is a bad thing."

Loki gaped at her again, only snapping out of it when she said, "You know, letting other people in isn't considered weakness here. It's considered strength. I saw a slogan on a poster that was for people who need help with mental problems, like PTSD. It said, "It takes the courage of a warrior to ask for help." And I agree. As long as you maintain the idea that asking for help is weakness, you won't recover. Asking for help is hard, especially for people who have been taught not to ask for help. But it's also the only way you'll get better. And I mean from your inner demons, not from the flu you've got right now."

"Inner demons?" Loki asked.

"It means problems that you hold inside," Natalie said. "The longer you hold stuff inside, the worse it gets."

Loki looked like he wanted to respond, but started coughing again before he could. Natalie quickly pulled him into a sitting position, and held him until the coughing fit ended. She noticed a glass of water on the nightstand, and picked it up, supporting Loki with her free arm and putting the glass to his lips. He drank some, and then said quietly, "Thank you."

"Sure," Natalie said. "We can talk more later, if you want; right now you should try to get some rest."

"I am surprised that Thor is not barging in," Loki commented.

"He apparently went back to Asgard to inform Odin that you were under my protection and they'd have to wait until you recovered to do anything else to you," Natalie said. "That's what Clint said, anyways." She helped Loki lie back down, and tucked him back in, then slightly hesitantly smoothed his hair back. Loki looked tired as she stroked his hair, and soon enough he was asleep again.

About three hours later, Natalie heard a knock on the door, and called, "Come in."

Tony came in as Loki stirred, and said, "We have a problem."

"If it's Odin, I fully plan to castrate him for what he's done to Loki," Natalie said.

Tony winced and said, "It's not Odin, though that could be temporary. Fury's here, and he's not happy that we're harboring Reindeer Games there."

"Tell him to go screw himself," Natalie said bluntly.

Tony snickered and said, "I can just imagine what he's going to say to that."

"What WHO is going to say to what?" an unfamiliar voice said behind Tony. Natalie tensed as a man with an eye-patch came into the room, looking angry. "Would you care to explain why you were harboring a war criminal and why you decided to drag Stark and the others into this mess?" he asked.

"For starters, I didn't know Loki was a war criminal when I found him on my floor, I thought he was a cosplayer," Natalie said coldly. "And I would like to point out that if Thor hadn't broken into my apartment and dragged Loki out my now-smashed window, I wouldn't have decided to try to break Tony's door down and these people would have no idea that Loki was even here. I can assure you that Loki is not plotting world domination, and on top of that, he's got the flu. There is not a chance in HELL of me letting you take him, and if you choose not to leave us alone, I will use you as a dummy so I know how to castrate people if I ever meet Odin."

"….May I ask why you want to castrate Odin?" Fury asked.

"Because he's an abusive jackass with serious issues, and if he hadn't been such a jerk, Loki probably wouldn't have had any issues at all," Natalie replied. "Besides, Loki was under mind control while he was attacking New York, so it's really not his fault at all. Are you leaving now?"

"If he does anything, I'm holding YOU responsible," Fury said.

"And if you do anything, I'll castrate you," Natalie replied calmly.

Fury just stalked out. Tony came in a minute later, and said, "That was impressive."

"I was just warming up," Natalie said. She heard a soft noise from behind her, and turned to see Loki shaking. She immediately went over, and noticed his eyes were blank again. She carefully put a hand on his cheek, and said softly, "Loki. Loki, wake up, you're safe here."

Loki's blank look slowly faded as Natalie whispered reassurances, and finally he said, "They were torturing me…."

"They can't get you here," Natalie said, even though she didn't know who 'they' were. "You're safe now, Loki." She gently pulled him into her arms, hugging him. After a few minutes, she felt Loki hug back hesitantly. She tightened her grip a bit, and started stroking his hair again. A while later, his grip loosened, and Natalie felt his breathing even out. She gently set him down, tucking him back in and sitting next to him on the bed. She gently started stroking Loki's hair again, and for once he relaxed completely. A small smile tugged at Natalie's lips.

Four hours or so later, Natalie was still sitting with Loki when there was another knock on the door. She sighed softly and got up to see who was bugging them this time.

It turned out to be Tony, and he said, "We're having dinner, I came to see if you wanted to join us."

"That would be nice, thanks," Natalie said. She got up carefully, and left with Tony. Loki was still asleep.

Dinner turned out to be Chinese take-out, and afterwards, Natalie took some fruit and toast up to Loki, leaving the Avengers to talk.

"Natalie's sure getting attached to Loki," Tony commented.

"I'm kind of worried about that," Bruce admitted. "Eventually he'll get better, and then we all know Odin will want to throw him in a cell or something equally pleasant."

"That's if Natalie doesn't go through with castrating Odin first," Tony said. "She threatened to use Fury as practice, did I mention that?"

"No, but that takes guts," Clint said. "And he just left?"

"He told her she was responsible if Loki did anything, and she replied that if _he_ did anything, she'd castrate him, and then he left," Tony said. "I wouldn't put it past her to find some way of going to Asgard and actually castrating Odin. She really hates the guy."

"Considering he was apparently abusing someone she considers a friend, I'm not surprised," Steve said. "She's kind of overprotective of Loki."

"'Kind of' is an understatement," Tony said. "You should have seen her when she was talking to Fury. He was in full intimidation mode and she wasn't even fazed when she told him that she was going to castrate him if he did anything to Reindeer Games."

"Do you think she's in love with him?" Natasha asked.

"I think if she's not already, it's only a matter of time," Tony said.

"What's only a matter of time?" Natalie asked as she came back into the room carrying a plate. She didn't miss the way Tony flinched a bit, and asked, "I take it you were talking about me?"

"How do you DO that?" Tony asked.

Natalie started collecting the dishes as she said, "It's a talent. I just happen to be very perceptive, and the way you flinched when I asked what you were talking about told me that it wasn't something you wanted me to hear. And that would mean either you're talking about me, some kind of secret that you don't want me to know, or Loki. I had a feeling you were talking about me, and you proved it."

"How's Loki doing?" Tony asked, attempting to change the subject.

Natalie gave him a look that clearly said she knew what he was doing, but said, "His fever went down, and he's not coughing as much as he was earlier. He's healing much faster than I expected, so I'd say he'll be fine by tomorrow or the next day. Unlike a human, apparently he doesn't need weeks to get over the flu." She paused in thought, and then said, "You and he are a lot alike."

"How does THAT work?" Tony asked.

"You both choose to hide behind masks, rather than showing your true feelings to the world," Natalie said. "You've both been through more pain than anyone should have to go through, and neither of you came out unscathed. The main difference between you and Loki, however, is how you choose to handle things. Loki is often wary and bitter towards others, not letting anyone in no matter what they do. You, on the other hand, act happy and carefree almost all the time, using the arrogant playboy act to hide your true feelings. I also think that deep down, you want someone who understands you and what you've been through. Unlike Loki, you have friends who are there for you no matter what. Loki had no one before I came along; even Thor never tried to understand him, no matter how much he claims he cares about Loki. At least you have friends."

Tony looked somewhat shaken. Then he abruptly stood up and left without a word. Natalie sighed softly and finished washing the dishes, then dried her hands and looked at the others. "I'll apologize after he has some time to himself," she said. "I don't think going after him right away is a good idea. I'm going back to Loki; I hope you don't mind."

"We don't mind," Steve said.

Natalie gave him a small, grateful smile before leaving. She went straight back to the room she was sharing with Loki, and found him sleeping again. Deciding to do the same, she went to change in the bathroom, and came out in pajamas a few minutes later. She curled up with some blankets on the sofa, and slowly fell asleep.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie got up early, and checked on Loki, who was also waking up. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"I feel much better," Loki said. "Are you going to allow me to get out of bed soon?"

Natalie felt his forehead and said, "Your fever's gone; I don't see why not. I'm going to shower, and I was planning on making breakfast for everyone. I brought your clothes with me when I got some stuff from my house yesterday; do you mind waiting to shower?"

"I will wait for you to be done," Loki said.

"Thanks," Natalie said, and went to get clothes. She took them to the bathroom, and took a quick shower. After pulling her hair back and brushing her teeth, she left the bathroom and told Loki, "Your turn, I'm headed downstairs."

"Thank you," Loki said. He got up, and Natalie gave him his clothes, then left. Going to the kitchen, she found that the coffee was already almost done, and there was no one in there. Shrugging, she started looking around, and found a bunch of pancake mix in one of the cabinets. She started mixing it up, and found a griddle, then started cooking the pancakes. By the time she was out of batter, both Steve and Bruce had come in. Tony came in a few minutes later, still half-asleep, and Natalie put the pancakes on the table, which she had already set. She watched Tony get some coffee, and then Loki came in. Natalie smiled at him and then asked Steve, "Where are Clint and Natasha?"

"They had to go into work early," Steve replied. "Thanks for cooking breakfast."

"Sure," Natalie said. She looked at Tony, who was looking more awake. He noticed her looking at him, and she said, "I'm sorry for last night. I should remember that not everyone appreciates being analyzed."

"Eh, it's fine," Tony said unconcernedly. "These are good pancakes."

"It's just a mix," Natalie said, amused. She sat down to eat with the others. Loki was eyeing the pancakes with distrust. "Loki, they're not poisoned," Natalie said. "And they'll get cold if you just stare at them."

Loki sighed and took a bite- then proceeded to eat the rest in about a minute. Natalie giggled at his enthusiasm. Tony snickered too, and said, "Jeez Reindeer Games, you must really like pancakes."

"They are good," Loki said.

"I guess us Midgardians aren't all bad," Tony snickered.

Loki chose to ignore him. Tony asked Natalie, "So are you a good cook?"

"I like what I make," Natalie said. "I wouldn't call myself a world-class chef or anything, but I like cooking. Not to mention I live alone, so I had to learn."

"The soup you made two days ago was good," Loki commented.

"The miso soup? Glad you liked it," Natalie said. "Hopefully it'll still be good when we get back."

"We?" Loki asked.

"I did invite you to live with me," Natalie pointed out.

Tony started snickering at this point, and Loki asked, "May I ask what you find amusing in that statement, Stark?"

"Oh, nothing," Tony snickered. "Don't mind me."

Loki lifted an eyebrow, and said, "You are clearly lying."

"You're one to talk," Tony snarked back.

Before Natalie could tell them to stop, JARVIS said, "Sir, Mr. Odinson is back."

"Good," Tony said, as Thor came in. "What happened?" Tony asked him.

"Father wishes to meet Lady Natalie," Thor said. He paused, then said, "And I have been ordered to bring Loki back as well."

"This means I get to tell him what I think of his parenting methods, right?" Natalie asked.

"I would not recommend it," Thor said.

"The worst that'll happen is that he'll kill me, and then I can haunt him," Natalie said. Tony snorted.

"Please do not joke about that," Loki said. "I do not wish to see you killed."

"Sorry," Natalie said. She looked at Thor and asked, "I suppose we're going now?"

"Yes," Thor said.

Natalie looked at Loki, who was obviously (to her) nervous. "It'll be fine," she told him softly. "I won't let them harm you or lock you up again."

Loki still looked uncertain, but stood up. Natalie did the same, and they went over to Thor as a beam of light hit them.

 **Wow, I did not expect anyone to like this; thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, or followed.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Four: Odin**

Their journey to the palace was mainly silent, and tense. Natalie could sense how nervous Loki was, and surreptitiously took his hand. She felt his fingers curl around hers as they entered the palace, and Thor led them to what Natalie assumed was the throne room. The guards there let them in, but they looked strangely at Natalie. She pointedly ignored them as the doors closed behind them.

When they entered, Natalie saw a large man with an eye-patch sitting on a throne. A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes sat on a throne next to him, but Natalie ignored her in favor of giving Odin the 'if looks could kill' death glare. "Natalie McKenzie, do you know why you are here?" Odin asked.

"I only know that you apparently wanted to meet me," Natalie said, not letting up on the glare she was giving him. Then she added, "But I would have come whether or not Thor said I could, if only to make your life a misery."

Odin chose to ignore that last comment and said, "I have called you here for an unbiased opinion of Loki's crimes on Midgard. Thor has informed me that you did not participate in the battle on Midgard, but were aware of what transpired."

"In other words, you don't trust Loki to tell the truth and you want me to tell you what happened, correct?" Natalie asked bluntly.

Odin didn't look happy, but he said, "Yes."

Natalie shrugged and said, "Alright. The first thing you should know is that someone was controlling Loki to attack New York City, Thor, and the Avengers. I don't know who it was, but I have confirmation from the Avengers that Loki's eyes had changed color while he was being controlled, and they were the same color as the eyes of people he put under his control. Someone used mind control on Loki, which is why he attacked New York. What this person was hoping to gain is beyond me, since I don't know who it was. I don't believe that any of the crimes Loki committed were his fault."

"Even the crimes he committed here?" Odin asked.

Natalie went from cool and collected to boiling mad in 1.5 seconds and snarled, "Those can be chalked up to your terrible parenting methods. I could tell within a few minutes of meeting and talking to Loki that he had been abused, and the way he spoke when I asked him why his family didn't care about him only cemented that fact. Whether or not he is adopted does not make it right to abuse him to the point where he will commit crimes for attention. Anyone with half a brain could see that Loki had a terrible childhood, and I know it continued into his adulthood, simply because you have this twisted belief that Thor is 'better' than Loki. News flash- no one person is exactly like another. Just because Thor is the stronger warrior does NOT mean that Loki is weak. He is special in his own way, and your inability to see that led to disaster, time and time again. Committing crimes and similar activities are nothing more than a plea for attention- something you seem unable to give to Loki. Your blatant favoritism of Thor created a rift that may never be fully mended. You spent Loki's childhood punishing and abusing him simply because he didn't match up to your standards- which, by the way, are totally screwed up. How exactly do you figure that Thor is 'better'? Loki is brilliant, and Thor, while he's a fairly nice person, is an IDIOT. Any good warrior should be able to strategize as well as fight- like Loki. Thor just smashes everything in sight, and while he's probably physically stronger than Loki, mentally is a totally different issue."

"Loki is a Jotun; it is not the same," said Odin through gritted teeth.

Thor was actually edging away from Natalie, trying to get out of the crossfire that was probably going to happen soon. Natalie didn't even notice as she snarled, "So you're a racist as well? Just great. No matter what Loki is or isn't, you didn't have to abuse him to the point where he actually started believing that he deserved the abuse. Maybe you weren't the only one, but it doesn't change the fact that as his father, you NEVER should have abused him. I'm fairly certain that if you had done this on Midgard, you'd be getting a nice long prison sentence, as child abuse is totally illegal. As it is, you should be grateful I haven't castrated you yet, because I despise you to the depths of my soul for what you've put Loki through. People who abuse their children or ANY children are the lowest kind of SCUM I can imagine. It speaks well of Loki's character that he's actually still alive; a lot of abused children end up committing suicide or dead by their parents' own hands. Those that don't are generally scarred for life, and often need therapy to help them get over the trauma. I don't know why it even MATTERS that Loki is a Jotun; he's still Loki, and contrary to others' beliefs, he is NOT a monster. I don't care what you and your people think; just being a different race does not make someone a monster. I'll have you know that personally, I don't care whether Loki is human, Jotun, Aesir, or some kind of cat. He's the same person he's always been, and I think he's wonderful."

Odin was bright red and steaming, while Frigga was looking at Natalie with an odd expression. She looked almost… proud, reminding Natalie of her own mother looking at her when she first performed in gymnastics.

Finally Odin spoke, and he snarled, "If you are so interested in Loki, you may have him! Thor, take those two back to Midgard, and make sure they never darken this realm again!"

"Yes Father," Thor said, and motioned to Natalie and Loki. Natalie was tempted to flip Odin off, then remembered he would most likely have no idea what it meant, and followed Thor and Loki out.

Out of earshot of the guards, Thor finally said, "I cannot believe you are still alive after that, Natalie. Much less that you managed to ensure my brother will be safe. I thank you for that."

"You're welcome," Natalie said. She looked at Loki, who was quiet, seemingly thinking. "What's on your mind?" she asked him.

"I have been banished; what will happen to me now?" Loki asked.

"You can either ask Tony if it's okay for you to stay with him, or you can move in with me," Natalie said. "I don't mind either way- though if you're staying with Tony, I want you to visit."

"I prefer the idea of staying with you," Loki said after a moment.

Natalie grinned broadly and kissed Loki's cheek. He smirked and said, "I take it you like this idea also?"

"Very much so," Natalie said happily. "Now we just have to see about fixing my window…"

"I will gladly help you fix your window, as it is my fault it is broken!" Thor proclaimed.

"YOU will stay far away from breakable things in general, and I'll call someone who actually KNOWS how to fix windows," Natalie said. Loki started laughing.

 **Sorry it's shorter; I wanted to put a break between this and when they got back to Earth.**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Five: Home Again**

When they got back to Stark Tower, it was dark out, and apparently the others were having dinner, because they were all in the kitchen with a bunch of pizza boxes. They all looked up when Natalie, Loki, and Thor came in, and Tony asked, "How'd it go?"

"Loki will be living with me, and according to Thor I'm lucky to still be alive," Natalie said cheerfully.

"You told my father he was scum; you are lucky he did not order your beheading right then and there," Thor said dryly.

"What happened?" Steve asked.

"I snapped and told Odin EXACTLY what I thought of him and his parenting methods," Natalie said. "I didn't get to castrate him, though. Too bad. But he was extremely angry by the time I finished chewing him out, and told Thor to take Loki and I back here and 'make sure we never darken his realm again.'"

"So Reindeer Games is free?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Loki said. "Though that is NOT my name. And I will be living with Natalie once her window is fixed."

"That reminds me, it should be fixed tomorrow," Tony said. "Steve said that since it's technically our fault Thor smashed your window that I should pay for repairs."

"Wow, thanks," Natalie said.

"I also got some clothes for Loki," Tony said. "I figured he'd need human clothing, since what he's currently wearing would really only work at a Renaissance fair or something."

"Thank you, Stark," Loki said.

Tony just waved a hand nonchalantly and asked, "Are you guys hungry? We've got lots of pizza."

"I am," Natalie said.

"I must get back," Thor said. "I will try to visit soon."

"Next time you come, please remember that I have a front door," Natalie said dryly.

"I shall," Thor said. He left, and Natalie and Loki sat down to eat with the others.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie woke up and smiled happily as she got up. She had really enjoyed her stay with the Avengers, but it would be nice to get home. And she was happy that Loki would be coming with her.

After they both showered and dressed, Natalie and Loki went downstairs hand in hand, and found everyone else already in the kitchen. "Morning," Natalie said.

"Morning," Tony said, the others echoing him. "I got a call saying your window is fixed, so you can go home anytime you want."

"That's great, thanks Tony," Natalie said. "Loki and I both are packed up, so I was thinking we'd leave after breakfast."

"How far away is your place?" Clint asked.

"It's about a twenty minute walk," Natalie replied. "It looks like a nice day out, too."

"How did you manage to get here ten minutes after Thor took Loki here, then?" Tony asked.

"I ran," Natalie said. "I nearly knocked a few people over, but I ran all the way here because I was worried about what would happen to Loki. Thinking back, I think you're right; I wouldn't be able to break the door down."

"You would set off a lot of alarms if you tried," Tony said.

"Good thing you let me in then," Natalie said as she and Loki sat down to eat.

After breakfast, Natalie and Loki said their goodbyes, and headed back to Natalie's apartment with their bags. When they got there, Natalie opened the door and said, "Don't take off your shoes yet, I have to sweep up the broken glass first."

"Okay," Loki said. "I can take our bags to your room."

"Thanks," Natalie said. She had been working on getting him to talk in a more modern way, and so far it seemed to be working. She smiled as she got the broom, and carefully swept up the glass on the floor, then swept the glass on the sofa bed into the trash as well. Loki came out as she finished, and said, "Your smaller bag is playing music."

"That's my cell phone," Natalie said, already running to get it. She missed the call, but noticed the number was her mother's, so she called back. "Hi Mom, what's up?" she asked.

" _I've been trying to get in touch with you for the past two days!"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"Where were you?"_

"I was staying with a new friend of mine, because my front window was shattered by some idiot, and it needed to be fixed," Natalie said. "Sorry I left my phone behind while I was at my friend's. Did you need something?"

" _I thought you were coming home for a few days,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

"I said I'd come home Thursday; it's Wednesday today," Natalie said. "I'll be there tomorrow. Can I bring my boyfriend? I'd like you to meet him, since he's staying with me."

" _You FINALLY got a boyfriend?"_ Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"Yes," Natalie said. "You sound like you believed I'd stay single forever."

Mrs. McKenzie ignored that and said, _"Yes, you can bring your boyfriend, just warn him about your father, okay?"_

"Sure Mom, love you," Natalie said.

" _See you tomorrow!"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Yup, bye!" Natalie said, and hung up. Then she went to find Loki.

He was in the living room, and asked, "Your mother?"

"Yep, I told them I'd be home tomorrow for a few days," Natalie said. "I told them you were coming with me, is that okay?"

"I would like to meet your family," Loki said.

"Great!" Natalie said. "Just so you know, my dad's a bit overprotective, so please don't be offended or kill him if he starts interrogating you."

"I won't," Loki said, smiling. "It seems overprotectiveness runs in your family. You seem to have inherited that trait, if yesterday's actions were any indication."

Natalie blushed, and Loki smirked.

 _ **The next day:**_ Natalie and Loki got ready to go, and took the subway to the neighborhood where Natalie's family lived.

"This is nice," Loki commented as they walked down the street. This neighborhood didn't have apartment buildings; instead there were large houses.

"My parents are pretty well off, so they can afford a nice house," Natalie replied. "Here we are. My little brother's probably at school right now, but my mom should be home, at least."

"You have a younger brother?" Loki asked.

"Yeah, his name's Kevin and he's fifteen," Natalie said. "He's also a brat, but I love him anyways. Just don't tell him I said that, he'll start teasing me."

"Alright," Loki said as Natalie led the way to the front door and rang the bell. The door was opened a minute later by a woman who looked similar to Natalie, except she had shorter hair and was slightly taller. "Hi Mom," Natalie said- and promptly got half strangled by her mother. "Mom, I can't breathe…." Natalie said.

Mrs. McKenzie let go and said, "Sorry, I was just happy to see you. It's been MONTHS!"

"I call you more than once a week," Natalie said, rolling her eyes. She took Loki's hand and said, "Mom, this is my boyfriend, Loki Laufeyson."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. McKenzie," Loki said politely.

"You as well, Loki," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Come in, both of you. I'll have lunch ready soon."

"Thanks," Natalie said. "I was going to put Loki in the guest room, since you know what Dad will be like if we share."

"That's fine," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Shoes off, both of you."

Natalie and Loki took their shoes off, and Natalie started showing Loki around the house. She ended with her room, which was blue and had a bunch of anime posters on the walls. There was also a large bookshelf and a desk, and the dresser was in the closet. "This is a nice room," Loki commented. They had already put his bag in the guest room.

"I like it," Natalie replied. "Mom let me decorate, despite the fact she believes anime is only for kids."

"Anime?" Loki asked.

"The posters on the wall are from different anime shows," Natalie said. "It's basically Japanese cartoons, but most of them are far more sophisticated- and sometimes more graphic- then what you'd see here in America. I'll show you sometime; I've got lots of anime that we can watch on my laptop."

"Alright," Loki said.

Natalie was about to respond when her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she asked, "When exactly did Tony get my number?"

"I have no idea," Loki said.

Natalie sighed and picked up, then asked, "Tony, why do you have my number?"

" _In case of emergencies and because Loki doesn't have a cell phone,"_ Tony replied. _"I called because Thor came back with his mother, and they both want to see Loki, but they came back here and said you weren't home."_

"I'm at my parents' house till Sunday," Natalie said. "I suppose you could send them over, but this begs the question of what I'm going to tell my mother."

" _I'll come too and explain,"_ Tony said. _"What's the address?"_

"1256 Mercer Street," Natalie said. "And tell Thor he can't bring that hammer, or I will kick him out."

Tony chuckled and said, _"Alright, we'll be there soon."_

"Okay," Natalie said, and hung up. She looked at Loki, and said, "We're having more company; let's go tell my mom."

"Tell me what, exactly?" Mrs. McKenzie asked from the doorway.

"Loki's mom and brother are in town for a short amount of time and I said they could come over, since I'll be here till Sunday and they won't," Natalie said.

"I'll go make more sandwiches," Mrs. McKenzie said. "How many?"

"Three extra, they're bringing a friend," Natalie said. "Thanks Mom."

"Sure sweetie," Mrs. McKenzie said cheerfully, and went to make more sandwiches.

Natalie looked at Loki, who looked emotionless, and said to him, "It'll be fine. Chances are they just want to get away from Odin, who is probably ranting and raving about how a human got the better of him."

Loki gave her a half-hearted smile, and said, "I hope you're right."

"Let's go back downstairs, we can answer the door when they get here," Natalie said. She took Loki's hand and led the way to the living room.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Natalie ran to get it, followed by a decidedly less enthusiastic Loki. She found Thor, Frigga, and Tony at the front door, and said, "Please come in, my mom made lunch for all of us."

"Thank you," Frigga said. Natalie let them in, then blinked. "Why is Thor sulking?" she asked.

"I had to wrestle Mjolnir out of his hand and force him to leave it in his room," Tony said dryly. "So basically, he's sulking because I wouldn't let him bring his favorite toy."

"It is NOT a toy," Thor said sulkily.

"Thanks Tony," Natalie said. "Come into the kitchen, I'm sure my mom has lunch ready by now. Oh, and Thor, if you so much as come NEAR anything breakable, you will regret it."

"You are never going to let me forget that, are you?" Thor asked.

"Nope," Natalie said cheerfully, and led the way to the kitchen. Her mother looked up when they came in, noticed Tony, and asked, "Natalie, what is Tony Stark doing here?"

"He's here to explain things and make sure Loki's brother Thor does not break anything," Natalie said. "And this is Frigga, Loki's mother."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Mrs. McKenzie said. "I made sandwiches and put out some chips, I hope that's okay."

"That sounds fine," Tony said. "Are you the one who taught Natalie to cook?"

"Yes," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"She's good," Tony and Loki said at the same time.

Natalie giggled as they all sat down, and said, "I'm glad you like my cooking- though Tony, that was just pancake mix that was in your pantry; I didn't actually make the pancakes from scratch."

"They were still good," Tony said.

Mrs. McKenzie simply looked confused, and asked, "How do you two know each other?"

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" Tony asked.

"Long version is probably better, since I haven't told her anything about Loki besides his name yet," Natalie said before her mother could respond.

"Fine, but this should stay secret, or at least in your family only," Tony said.

"Which means Kevin can't know, or he'll start bragging," Natalie said dryly.

"Fine, we won't tell your brother," Mrs. McKenzie said wearily. "So what happened?"

"I found Loki on my living room floor with no idea how he got there on Saturday," Natalie said. "I decided to let him stay because he was sick and had nowhere else to go. The next morning, though, I woke up because Thor over there had smashed my window and was dragging Loki out of it. I wasn't able to stop him, but I noticed he had gone to Stark Tower, so I went over there and basically threatened Tony's AI until I got let in."

"I still don't think you'd have been able to break the door down," Tony said. "Anyways, I let her in, because she was demanding that my friends and I explain why we had kidnapped Loki. And considering it was our fault her front window was broken, I figured it was fair. We told her that Loki had escaped from Asgard, and that was why Thor had taken him to my tower."

"Asgard?" Mrs. McKenzie asked, puzzled.

"Home of the Norse pantheon of gods," Natalie replied. "That's the other part of this; Loki is the God of Mischief- and before you say anything, I KNOW that means he's not human. And I don't care what he is, because he's special and he's my boyfriend."

"And these two?" Mrs. McKenzie asked faintly, indicating Thor and Frigga.

"Frigga is the Queen of Asgard and Thor is her son, the thunder god," Natalie said. "Frankly I think the thunder and lightning fried his brain somewhere along the way, but that may just be me…."

Loki started laughing, hard. "And why do you think that?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"He's a complete idiot," Natalie said. "And he smashes everything in sight."

"I will never hear the end of this, will I?" Thor asked.

"Nope," Natalie said sweetly.

"Wasn't Thor in the news with the other Avengers a few months ago?" Mrs. McKenzie asked. "Something about the city being destroyed by aliens?"

"Loki was mind-controlled into attacking the city, and the Avengers defeated him and the army he had," Tony said. "He recently escaped Asgard, and somehow ended up in Natalie's living room. We had planned to just send him back with Thor, but Natalie went into overprotective mother hen mode and told everyone that she was going to castrate people who tried to take Loki away. I said she and Loki could stay at my tower until he recovered and her window was fixed, so that's where she's been for most of the past week."

"Overprotective mother hen mode?" Mrs. McKenzie asked Natalie.

"When I found out Loki had a severely abusive home situation, and that Odin was his abusive adoptive father, I decided that there was no way in Hell I'd let anyone do any harm to Loki," Natalie said. "Thor came back on Tuesday and said that Odin wanted to meet me, and that he had been ordered to bring Loki back as well. So I went with them to Asgard, and told Odin that the events of a few months ago were not Loki's fault and that as such, he shouldn't be punished. Then Odin asked about the crimes he supposedly committed on Asgard, and I spent twenty minutes chewing him out for being an abusive biased jackass and telling him he should be grateful I didn't castrate him for what he put Loki through. Thor claims I'm lucky he didn't behead me. By the time I was done yelling at him, he had apparently decided that as long as Loki and I never come back, that was good enough for him. He probably just didn't want me chewing him out in front of witnesses again, so Loki's free now- and living with me. The only reason I didn't start in on Frigga too is because she was looking at me the way you did when I aced my first gymnastics performance."

Mrs. McKenzie looked at Frigga, who said, "No one has ever stood up to Odin for Loki, and I am ashamed to admit that I did not do more to stop him from abusing Loki. The way Natalie spoke to my husband takes great courage, and she did it without thinking, simply because she cares about Loki, who has never had anyone who would do something like that for him. Mrs. McKenzie, I do not say this lightly when I say that you should be very proud of your daughter for her courage and kind heart."

"Thank you," Mrs. McKenzie said. "And I am very proud of my daughter, and have been even before she confronted your husband."

Frigga smiled, and turned to Natalie. "Natalie, you have my eternal gratitude for what you have done for Loki," she said. "Even though he will not be able to return to Asgard, I am grateful that he has someone as special as you to be there for him. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Natalie said, smiling. "I promise to take good care of Loki."

"I believe you," Frigga said, smiling back. "Would it be alright if I visit sometimes?"

"I don't mind; Loki?" Natalie asked.

"I do not mind either," Loki said. "As long as Odin does not come as well."

"If he does I'll castrate him," Natalie said.

"I cannot imagine Odin coming here, you do not have to worry," Frigga said. "However, Thor and I must return soon. I will make sure Thor uses your front door the next time he comes by."

"Much appreciated," Natalie said. "Thank you for coming by."

"It is I who should thank you," Frigga said. She stood up, and went to Loki, hugging him as the others did the same. To Natalie's surprise, a portal opened up and swallowed Thor and Frigga, then vanished. Mrs. McKenzie squeaked, startled, then said, "Well, that was…. interesting…"

"I should get back as well," Tony said. "Mrs. McKenzie, Natalie, thank you for lunch, and Natalie, my number is in your phone if there's an emergency. I should probably get a cell phone for Loki, though. You can show him how to use it, right?"

"Sure," Natalie said.

"Thank you, Stark," Loki said. "But how did you get Natalie's phone?"

"JARVIS informed me that her cell phone was ringing while you were in Asgard, and that made me remember that I was going to ask her if it was okay," Tony said. "I decided to find the phone and just put my number in while you guys were gone. Figured it would be good if anything happened, or if Thor wanted to come by."

"Thanks," Natalie said.

"Sure," Tony said. "I should go, but I'm sure we'll probably talk again soon."

"Do you need a cab?" Natalie asked.

"Oh right, I'll call someone," Tony said. He took out his phone and called a cab, then put his phone away. "You can wait inside if you want," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Thanks," Tony said.

The cab came ten minutes later, and Tony left. Natalie walked him out, and when she turned around her mother was giving her the 'Mom Look'.

"Yes?" Natalie sighed.

"Did you really threaten to break his door down and castrate people?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"All of that was true, and you know how I feel about people being mistreated or abused," Natalie said. "Oh, and Loki has PTSD, so I really hope Dad's not planning on doing the 'you will die a painful death with pointy sharp things if you hurt my daughter' speech."

"I'll tell him to tone it down," Mrs. McKenzie sighed. "Your brother should be home from school soon, by the way."

"Okay," Natalie said. "Can I try to make Loki into an otaku while we're waiting?"

"Not too loud," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"I know," Natalie said, and dragged Loki to the living room as the confused god asked, "What is an 'otaku'?"

"A person who's obsessed with anime," Natalie said. "I hope you know I fully plan to convert you."

"We'll see who converts who," Loki said, smirking as Natalie took Spirited Away out of its case and put it in the DVD player. As she and Loki settled down to watch, a calico cat came into the room. "Lucky!" Natalie said happily as the cat jumped onto the couch. She put the cat in her lap as Loki asked, "Lucky?"

"My pet cat," Natalie explained, petting Lucky. Lucky purred.

"She is making a strange noise," Loki commented.

"That's her happy noise," Natalie said. "Look, the movie's starting!"

 **More coming tomorrow; I hope you enjoyed this chapter, since it was much longer. Thanks to everyone supporting this story!**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Six: Family**

About an hour into the movie, the front door opened and a boy's voice called, "I'm home! Is Nat here?"

"I'm in the living room!" Natalie called back, putting the movie on pause.

"Nat?" Loki asked as a tall, lanky boy with blue eyes and short reddish brown hair the same shade as Natalie's came in.

"When Kevin was a baby, he wasn't able to say my full name, so he called me Nat, and it stuck," Natalie said, standing up.

"Nat, who's this?" Kevin asked.

"This is Loki, my boyfriend and new roommate," Natalie said.

"Loki? Cool name," Kevin said.

"Thank you," Loki said.

"Kevin, did you grow again?" Natalie asked.

"Two inches since you last saw me," Kevin said proudly.

"Be careful, soon you won't fit into the house," Natalie said teasingly. She ruffled her brother's hair and hugged him. He grimaced but hugged back. "Hey, are you watching Spirited Away?" he asked.

"Yup," Natalie said. "Loki doesn't know much about anime, so I'm going to convert him. Wanna help?"

"Sure!" Kevin said. "Miyazaki marathon tonight?"

"You bet!" Natalie said.

"Homework first, Kevin," Mrs. McKenzie said. "You can watch TV later."

"Mom, it's not just TV, it's ANIME," Kevin said indignantly.

"Your point?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"Anime goes beyond the parameters of mere 'TV'," Natalie said loftily. "TV is those sitcoms you and Dad like. Anime is MUCH better."

Mrs. McKenzie shook her head. "You two are addicted," she said. "Kevin, go work on your homework. Your father is taking us out for dinner since Natalie's home for a few days."

"Can we get Italian?" Natalie and Kevin chorused.

"I'm sure we can arrange that," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Homework. NOW."

"Oh, fine," Kevin said, and headed off sulkily.

"You two seem to have a good relationship," Loki commented.

"Anime creates bonding time, so yes, I suppose we do," Natalie said. "Wanna watch the rest of Spirited Away?"

"Sure," Loki said.

Just as the movie ended, the front door opened again, and this time Natalie turned off the TV, jumped up, and ran for the front door, followed by Loki. Loki got there to find Natalie hugging a tall man with the same warm brown eyes as her happily. "Dad, it's so good to see you!" Natalie said happily.

"It's great to see you again too, sweetheart," Mr. McKenzie said, hugging back. "How's school? And what's this I hear about a boyfriend? Did you finally decide not to die an old maid?"

"DAD!" Natalie shrieked. "That wasn't my plan in the first place! I never had a boyfriend before because I wanted to wait to find the right person! Do NOT compare me to the rest of the girls at my school."

"I thought you were busy mooning over cartoon characters," Mr. McKenzie said.

"They are NOT 'cartoon' characters, they're ANIME characters, and I thought you'd be GLAD I found someone who's real," Natalie said.

"I'm just teasing," Mr. McKenzie protested. "But your boyfriend and I will be having a chat later, got that?"

"I'll be there too, or no, you do not get to chat with Loki," Natalie said flatly. "I will not have you scaring him half to death because you're the overprotective type."

"Mmph," Mr. McKenzie said. "Are we going to the usual dinner place?"

"Yup!" Natalie said. "Loki and I just need to get shoes on."

She let go of her father, and he looked over at Loki. "I take it you're Loki?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Loki said.

"Loki says I inherited your overprotectiveness!" Natalie chirped cheerfully. "You should be proud, I threatened to castrate someone the other day!"

"We will be having a talk after dinner when we get home," Mr. McKenzie said. Natalie drooped and went to put shoes on, followed by Loki.

"That went well," Loki commented sarcastically.

"Oh well," Natalie said as Kevin and her parents came up to them.

"Let's get in the car," Mr. McKenzie said.

"I'll take the middle," Natalie said as she and Loki went out to the driveway. She slid into the backseat, and Loki sat next to her, Kevin getting in on the other side. Loki copied her as she put her seatbelt on, and then Mr. McKenzie drove them to a restaurant called Mama Rose's Italian Bistro. Natalie took Loki's hand as they went in, and they were seated fairly quickly.

"There are lots of people here," Loki commented.

"It's a really popular restaurant, and the food's not only very good, it's not too expensive," Natalie said. "So there's usually a lot of people here, and sometimes it's hard to get a table- especially on Fridays."

"Why Fridays?" Loki asked.

"It's the end of the work week, and a lot of people go out," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"I'm getting chicken parmesan," Natalie said. "Loki, do you know what you want?"

"I don't know what most of this is," Loki admitted.

"Did you like the pizza we had the other night?" Natalie asked.

"Yes," Loki said. "What is chicken parmesan, by the way?"

"It's breaded chicken with tomato sauce and pasta," Natalie said. "I love it."

"Nat gets that every single time we come here," Kevin said. "She's obsessed."

"I am not obsessed, and I got lasagna the last time I came here, so I do not get it every single time," Natalie said. "Besides, you get lasagna every time we come here, which means you shouldn't talk about obsessed."

"Kids…." Mr. McKenzie said warningly.

"I think I will try the chicken parmesan," Loki said.

"What would you like to drink?" Natalie asked.

"If they have the drink we had when we were eating pizza the other night, I'd like that," Loki replied.

"Sprite?" Natalie asked.

"I believe so," Loki said.

"Cool, I think I'll get Coke," Natalie said as the waitress came over.

"Do you need more time, or are you ready to order?" the woman asked.

"I think we're ready to order," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Natalie, why don't you go first?"

Natalie nodded and said, "I'd like chicken parmesan and a Coke, please."

"Soup or salad with that?" the waitress asked.

"Salad, please," Natalie said.

"Alright, and for you?" the waitress asked Loki.

"Chicken parmesan and Sprite, please," Loki said.

"Do you want soup or salad with that?" the waitress asked.

"Salad, please," Loki said.

"Sure," the waitress said. Mrs. McKenzie got chicken Piccata, Kevin got lasagna, and Mr. McKenzie got filet mignon. The waitress left, and Natalie said, "And now we wait."

"So Natalie, how's school going?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"It's going well," Natalie said. "I'll be done in two months, and then I can start looking for a job."

"That's wonderful," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Do you have any idea what you'll be looking for?"

"I want to try applying to a clinic before setting up my own business, since I have no formal experience," Natalie said. "I've gotten a lot of good recommendations, though, so hopefully I won't have too much trouble."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Mr. McKenzie said. "So how are your friends?"

"Last I checked they were good; everyone went away for break except Marie, and she's swamped with her schoolwork," Natalie said. "I wasn't really expecting anyone to be around, so I had originally planned to just hang out watching anime and doing homework. Thankfully I got all my homework done already, so I get to relax for the rest of break."

"Miyazaki marathon?" Kevin asked hopefully.

"Yep," Natalie said. "And then we should do a Bleach marathon."

"Bleach?" Loki asked.

"It's an awesome anime and there are over three hundred episodes," Kevin said happily as the waitress came back with their orders.

"Three hundred is a lot; do you expect to watch all of them?" Loki asked.

"We'll space them out," Natalie said. "I learned my lesson about non-stop anime when I was twelve- ten straight hours doing nothing but watching Naruto can really tire you out. I managed to get through twenty-one episodes before I crashed."

"When was this, exactly?" Mrs. McKenzie asked sternly as they started eating.

"The summer before I started middle school," Natalie said. "At least it wasn't a school night."

"True," Mrs. McKenzie conceded.

"This is very good," Loki commented, looking at the chicken parmesan on his plate.

"I'm glad you like it," Natalie said. "I can probably find a recipe for it sometime if you want."

"Maybe you can show me how to cook," Loki said.

Natalie smiled. "I'd be happy to," she said.

The rest of dinner was pleasant, and when they finished, Kevin asked, "Can we get dessert?"

"I made an ice cream cake for Natalie, so no," Mrs. McKenzie said. "One dessert per day."

"How do you survive on one dessert only?" Loki asked.

Natalie giggled as her parents looked at him. "Loki, not everyone has a massive sweet tooth like you do, and eating too much dessert is bad for your health," she said. "Besides, fruit is sweet too."

"Fruit does not taste like chocolate," Loki said.

"Another chocoholic?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"He's worse than I ever was," Natalie said. "I have absolutely no chocolate left in the house- though it was highly amusing when Loki mistook my baking cocoa for some kind of dessert."

"I still don't understand how that bitter powder becomes things like chocolate cake," Loki muttered.

"You add sugar to it, and lots of other things, so it takes the bitterness away," Natalie replied.

They left the restaurant after paying, and on the way home, Mr. McKenzie said, "Natalie, after cake we will be having a talk. I may approve of you protecting someone important to you, but castrating people is going a bit far."

"Who did you threaten, anyways?" Kevin asked as they pulled into the driveway.

"I think his name was Fury, or something," Natalie said. "I didn't get his first name."

Mr. McKenzie choked. "You threatened to castrate Nicholas Fury!?" he shrieked.

"Is that his first name?" Natalie asked.

"Bald man with an eye-patch?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"That's him," Natalie said. "He was trying to intimidate me, so I told him if he laid a finger on Loki, I would use him as a dummy to practice castration on, since I was also planning on castrating Loki's abusive adoptive father," Natalie said.

"Nat, what is it with you and castration?" Kevin asked.

"From what I've heard it's seriously painful, and therefore I figured it would scare that Fury guy off- which kind of worked," Natalie said. "Uh, Dad? Why do you look like you're having a nervous breakdown?"

"Fury is the director of SHIELD!" Mr. McKenzie said- more like wailed. "You're lucky he didn't throw you in jail!"

"Can we go inside to discuss this?" Natalie asked. "You'll irritate the neighbors with all that wailing."

Mr. McKenzie went into the house, and the others followed him. The minute the door was closed, Mr. McKenzie said, "Kevin, go watch TV or something; your mother and I need to chat with Natalie and Loki."

"Can't I stay?" Kevin pleaded.

"If you agree not to eavesdrop, you can pick the order in which we watch the movies," Natalie said.

Kevin sighed and left, and Mr. McKenzie said, "Kitchen. NOW."

Natalie sighed and pulled Loki into the kitchen, followed by her parents, who closed the door. "I think you're overreacting, Dad," Natalie said bluntly. "The only thing Mr. Fury said in response was that I'm responsible for Loki's actions now. He didn't threaten to throw me in jail, and he didn't hurt me. Can you just drop it? I promise not to do it again. And I'm a grown woman, I can handle myself."

Mr. McKenzie deflated, and Mrs. McKenzie said, "Natalie's right. As long as she doesn't do it again, things should be fine. I thought you wanted to talk with Loki, not scold Natalie."

"Oh, fine," Mr. McKenzie said grouchily. He looked at Loki, and asked gruffly, "What are your intentions towards my daughter?"

"I love her," Loki replied calmly.

"You're not just using her or leading her on?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"I am not a shallow man, Mr. McKenzie," Loki replied. "I would not have come here if that was my true purpose for courting Natalie."

"Mmph," Mr. McKenzie said. "You promise not to hurt her?"

"I give you my word I will never willingly hurt Natalie," Loki said.

"How old are you, exactly?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"Twenty-two, I believe," Loki said. "I have long since stopped keeping track of birthdays."

"Why is that?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"I had no one to celebrate with," Loki replied simply.

"Can we have ice cream cake now?" Natalie asked hopefully.

"Fine- but no more threatening to castrate people," Mr. McKenzie said.

"Oh, fine," Natalie said.

 **I can't believe how much support I've been getting for this! You guys are awesome! More tomorrow!**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Seven: Thor and Sif**

The rest of the time Natalie and Loki spent with her family was spent talking and for Natalie, Loki, and Kevin, lots of anime marathons. Loki seemed to like Naruto a lot, though he wouldn't explain why. Natalie personally thought it might be because he identified with the main character, but kept that to herself.

By the time Sunday morning came around, Natalie's family had gotten used to Loki. He seemed to like them, though he was still resisting Mrs. McKenzie's determination to 'fatten him up' as she put it. The first time she said that, Loki's response was, "You are not planning on feeding me to something, correct?"

This did not deter Mrs. McKenzie in the slightest, not to mention her mother hen mode was on the entire time Loki was there.

As Natalie and Loki headed out, the last thing they heard was, "Natalie, try to get Loki to eat more!"

The minute they were at the end of the driveway out of earshot, Natalie burst out laughing. "Your mother is obsessed," Loki said dryly.

"True, but she has a point," Natalie giggled. "When I first met you I could practically see your ribs. That's not healthy."

"…Point," Loki admitted. "So we are headed back to your apartment now?"

"Yup, and then we need to go grocery shopping," Natalie said. "And classes start for me tomorrow. Do you know what you'll be doing while I'm gone?"

"I admit that I did not think of that," Loki said. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Natalie thought, then said, "Maybe you should debate science vs. magic with Tony. He seems like the type to be interested. I don't really know if it's a good idea for you to get a job, since the main job openings this time of year are in food service, and I don't think you'd enjoy that."

"Do you have a job?" Loki asked.

"I'm a teacher's assistant, so yes," Natalie said. "My parents pay for most of my expenses though."

The rest of the way home was pretty quiet, but as Natalie let Loki in, and closed the door, Loki asked, "Natalie, what do you think of Thor?"

"He's an idiot, but I think his heart is in the right place," Natalie said. "You're wondering if he is only pretending to love you, right?"

"I do not know how you do that, but yes," Loki said.

"I don't think Thor is actually capable of deceiving you that way- or anyone, for that matter," Natalie said. "He's far too open and impulsive to effectively trick people. I think that he really loves you, and that he does think of you as his brother, even though you're not related to him by blood."

"You do not think he hates me for being a Jotun?" Loki asked.

"I don't think Thor is capable of hating you, no matter what you are," Natalie said. "Maybe you should try to reconnect with him at some point; he obviously spends at least some time here, and I won't always be home. You should think it over, and maybe talk with him. I don't mind being there as a third party to help you two get over the issues that you have."

"I will think about it," Loki said.

Natalie smiled and said, "Good. Should we go grocery shopping now?"

"Does that mean more chocolate?" Loki asked.

"Fine, I'll buy you more chocolate," Natalie said in fond exasperation. "You are obsessed."

Loki smirked. "I know."

Grocery shopping was achieved with minimal hassle, despite the fact Natalie had to repeatedly check the cart to make sure Loki hadn't put in something she couldn't afford. She also made him put back a package of Oreos, not wanting to deal with an Oreo addiction on top of the chocolate addiction he had.

 **~XXXX~**

As they finished putting the groceries away, Natalie was about to ask what Loki wanted for dinner when her cell phone rang. She immediately picked up when she saw that it was Tony, and asked, "Tony, is something wrong?"

" _Thor just arrived with some chick he called Sif, and said he needs you and Loki to come over, but he won't explain why,"_ Tony said.

"We'll be there soon," Natalie said.

" _Thanks,"_ Tony said, and hung up.

Natalie looked at Loki, who had that emotionless look again. "I guess we'd better go," Natalie said.

Loki sighed and followed her out. They walked briskly to Stark Tower, and JARVIS let them in. They found the Avengers and a tall woman with black hair in the living room. The woman, who Natalie assumed was Sif, looked sour when she saw Loki, but said nothing.

"So what's going on?" Natalie asked.

"Queen Frigga has gone missing," Sif said. "I believe that Odin had something to do with it, but I can't confirm that. One of the Council members said something that made Thor think that Odin had banished Queen Frigga, and he enlisted my help in trying to figure out where Queen Frigga may have been taken. We have found nothing so far, and her handmaidens either don't know what happened or are not talking out of fear of Odin, who has become very unreasonable as of late."

"So how can we help?" Natalie asked. "Last I checked, Loki and I were 'never to darken Asgard again', according to Odin."

"We have a plan," Thor said. "True, it would be very dangerous for Loki to go back. However, Lady Natalie would not have the same problems, for she would be underestimated by everyone."

"What is the point you're trying to make?" Loki asked.

"We want Natalie to make Odin so angry he admits to where Queen Frigga is," Sif said. "The last display turned out the way she wanted it to; Odin unintentionally set Loki free and has no way of getting him back without losing face in Asgard. Thor suggested that if Natalie were to make Odin angry enough, he could slip in a few questions about Queen Frigga and Odin would, in a fit of rage, answer them."

"Why did you not ask Heimdall where Frigga is?" Loki asked. "Surely he can see her."

"He has been forbidden to speak of her whereabouts by Father, he told us that much," Thor replied. "That means Father knows where Mother is."

"Surprisingly perceptive of you," Loki said scathingly. "However, that scheme is insane. I do not see how making Odin want to kill Natalie will help us."

"We will protect her with our lives if need be, but we need her skill to get Queen Frigga back," Sif said. "She is your mother too, you realize."

"Loki, they may be right," Natalie said. "When people get really angry, they often say things they didn't mean to. If I can help, then I will."

"I cannot stop you, can I?" Loki asked.

"Probably not," Natalie admitted.

Loki sighed and said softly, "Be safe."

"I'll be as safe as I can," Natalie promised.

"We have to go before Father realizes we snuck out," Thor said, slightly apologetically.

"If anything happens, I hold you responsible," Loki warned him.

"We know," Sif said. She took Natalie's shoulder, and a minute later, a portal opened up and swallowed them.

After they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Natalie asked, "Exactly how are you going to get me into the palace?"

"We'll pretend we found you sneaking in and are bringing you to Odin for trial," Sif said.

"Fine," Natalie said. She walked between Thor and Sif as they went to the palace, and as they got close, Thor took her left arm and Sif took her right. The guards didn't question them, though they appeared curious.

As they were walking through the halls, a young woman came up to them and said softly, "Prince Thor, Lady Sif, Queen Frigga has returned- but there is something different about her. Be careful."

"Thank you," Sif said.

The woman bowed and hurried off, and they continued on their way. "What do you make of this news?" Thor asked Natalie.

"Possibly an imposter," Natalie said. "Either that or she's been brainwashed. My first guess would be that someone is impersonating her, and I know how to tell."

"How?" Sif asked softly.

"Last time we met, Queen Frigga told me she was eternally grateful to me for what I did for Loki," Natalie said. "If she doesn't recognize me, or acts differently than she did before, then I think it's safe to say she's not Queen Frigga."

"What do we do if you're right?" Sif asked.

"Thor should act as if everything's normal, and that will buy me enough time to see if I'm right," Natalie said. "And since I can't exactly talk without getting noticed, I'll tug my right arm twice, which will look like I'm trying to get free, but it actually will mean that Frigga has been replaced. If I only tug once, it means it's the real Frigga."

"Good idea," Sif said. "We're here."

Natalie looked up, and saw the doors to the throne room. The guards looked at her, and one of them asked, "Prince Thor, isn't that the Midgardian girl?"

"She snuck in," Sif said. "We have brought her to the Allfather for questioning."

The guards opened the doors, and the three went in. Odin was there, and next to him was a woman who appeared similar to Frigga, but Natalie immediately noticed that her eyes were a different shade of blue; they were paler than before. She was also glaring directly at Natalie, and while she didn't say anything, she didn't have to. Natalie tugged her right arm twice as Odin boomed, "Thor, why have you brought this girl back?"

"She snuck in, Father," Thor replied. "Sif and I found her and brought her here."

"Natalie McKenzie, what have you to say for yourself?" Odin asked menacingly.

"I'd like to know where you're keeping the REAL Queen Frigga," Natalie said, smirking as a brief flash of panic flitted across the imposter's face. "It's quite obvious to me that the woman who sits next to you is an imposter. Her eyes are two shades lighter than the last time I saw her, and judging by the way she's looking at me, she's never seen me and probably hates me too. The real Queen Frigga knows perfectly well who I am, and she does not hate me. I ask again, what have you done with Queen Frigga?"

This had caused a stir among the court, and many were whispering and looking at the fake Frigga. Thor took the initiative, and shouted, "Father, what have you done with Mother? I demand to know!"

"I have done nothing to your mother," Odin replied, regaining control. "You would believe the word of a Midgardian over that of your own father?"

"I trust Lady Natalie," Thor replied, eliciting a surprised murmur from the spectators. "Her skills in spotting lies and deception are far greater than that of any mage, yet she has no magic. She can read Loki as one might a book, and you say she is wrong in her observation that the woman who sits next to you is an imposter?"

"Do not mention the Jotun runt to me!" Odin snarled.

"Is that what happened?" Natalie asked. "I'm guessing that Frigga mentioned Loki in your presence, and you had a temper tantrum and either locked her up or sent her off somewhere. Real mature, Odin. Just because someone mentions Loki doesn't make it okay for you to punish them. I get that you don't like him, but I don't get why you would punish your own wife for mentioning him. You are acting like a child, and I suggest you do something about the fact that Frigga is missing, before you lose all respect anyone in this realm has for you. Though judging by the looks on everyone's faces, you are on your way to losing not only respect, but your throne too. Maybe once we find Frigga we should let her take over your position; you don't seem to be doing a very good job of it."

"ENOUGH!" Odin roared.

Before he could get any further, though, Natalie smirked and asked slyly, "Ooh, did I make you mad? Jeez, you should take anger management classes or something; it's unbecoming for a politician of any stripe to act like a six-year-old child whose favorite toy was taken away. Maybe Frigga is better off away from you; you might be a bad influence. Which also means you're a bad influence on your children. Too bad Asgard doesn't have Social Services; you'd have been thrown in a cell and had your children taken from you a looooong time ago. I still have trouble believing that these people LISTEN to you; you're a horrible child abuser who probably locked his wife up simply for making him angry."

"I did NOT lock her up," Odin snarled.

"Oh? Then what did you do with her?" Natalie asked. "It better not involve harming her, because I will be more than happy to castrate you."

"I sent her to Jo-" Odin broke off, realizing what he had done, but too late.

"JOTUNHEIM!?" Thor shouted. "You sent Mother to Jotunheim simply for mentioning Loki in your presence? You have gone too far, Father!"

While Thor was shouting at Odin, Natalie said, "Sif, do you know how to get to Jotunheim?"

"Yes…. But what are you planning?" Sif asked warily. "The Jotun race do not take kindly to us."

"I am not one of you," Natalie said. "Help me get to Jotunheim, and let me do the talking if we meet someone. I'm well aware there is no love lost between your two races, but I'm human, not Aesir or Jotun. Let Thor distract Odin, and we'll get Frigga back."

Sif was obviously torn, but finally said, "Alright, but you're going to need a warmer outfit. The realm is solid ice and snow."

"Let's go find a coat, then," Natalie said.

Sif still looked unsure, but she led the way out of the throne room. No one except the guards outside noticed them leave, and they backed off when Sif glared at them. Sif led Natalie to a bedroom, and took two heavy fur coats out of the closet. She handed one to Natalie, and put the other one on as Natalie did the same. The two women left the palace, and Natalie followed Sif to the Bifrost, where they found Heimdall standing there as if he had been waiting for them. He said nothing; simply opening a portal for them to Jotunheim. They were swallowed up, and landed a minute later in front of what seemed to be an ice palace. Two blue giants stood in front of them, blocking the way. "What is it you want?" one of them asked warily.

"We have learned that Frigga, Queen of Asgard, was sent here, and we wish to bring her back," Natalie said politely. "Do you know where she is?"

"Lady Frigga is in a guarded room as per the request of Odin," the guard said, sounding bitter. "We would gladly hand her over, but we have orders from our king. I will take you to him."

"Thank you, we appreciate your help," Natalie said. She followed the giant, and Sif reluctantly followed. Natalie noticed Sif's hand kept twitching towards her sword, and sighed, then grabbed her right hand and said quietly, "Stop twitching, they'll think you're going to attack them."

Sif sighed and settled down. Natalie let go of the woman's hand as they reached what she assumed was the throne room. The guard with them knocked, and a male voice replied, "Enter."

The guard opened the door, and went in, followed by Natalie and Sif. The guard went down on one knee, and said, "My King, these two have come for the Lady Frigga."

"How did they know?" the giant on the throne asked.

"I do not know," the guard said.

Natalie took a step forward, bowed, and said, "I mocked Odin until he became so angry he accidentally revealed Queen Frigga's location. Then I convinced Lady Sif to bring me here and get Queen Frigga back."

The king eyed her, and finally turned to the guard. "Send someone to bring Queen Frigga here," he commanded.

"Yes, My King," the guard said. He went to the door guards and spoke in another language, and one of them left.

The king looked at Natalie, and said, "You are not Aesir."

"No, I am human, from Midgard," Natalie replied. "Lady Sif and Prince Thor brought me to Asgard in hopes that I could get the truth of Queen Frigga's location from Odin. I know your people and those of Asgard do not get along, and I apologize for bringing Lady Sif. I would have come alone, but I did not have any idea of how to get here."

"You are unusual," the king said thoughtfully. "Most look at my people with disgust, yet you do not."

"There is no reason why I should," Natalie replied. "I would be a hypocrite to be disgusted by you and not Loki."

"Loki?" the king asked sharply. "How do you know of him?"

"He's my boyfriend," Natalie said. "And he has been banished to Midgard by Odin, so he lives with me now."

"What is your name?" the king asked.

"My name is Natalie McKenzie," Natalie said, just as the doors opened and the guard came back with Frigga. Frigga spotted Natalie, and asked incredulously, "Natalie? Why are you here?"

"Thor brought me to Asgard to make Odin mad enough to tell us where you were, I succeeded, and then I convinced Sif to help me bring you back," Natalie said cheerfully. "And no offense, but we should get back before Thor comes looking for us. I think he'll probably notice we're missing soon."

Frigga looked at the king, who said, "You are free to go, Queen Frigga. Lady Natalie, thank you for your politeness while in my realm."

"You're welcome," Natalie said, bowing. The king inclined his head, and Natalie left with Sif and Frigga.

When they returned to Asgard, they went straight to the palace, and went to the throne room. They heard the shouting from the other end of the hall, and Natalie sighed. "This ought to be fun…" she said sarcastically as the guards let them in.

They found Thor still shouting at Odin, who was shouting back just as angrily. The others who had been in the room had long since vacated it, as had the woman impersonating Frigga. Natalie took off the coat she was wearing and hung it on one of the chairs in the room, then went over to Thor and Odin, and shouted, "OI!"

Surprisingly, they both stopped shouting, and Thor looked at Natalie questioningly. "Sif and I got Frigga back, so can you stop shouting and take me home?" she asked.

Thor looked over at his mother, who said, "Thor, take Natalie back and stay until I come for you."

"Very well, Mother," Thor said. "I am glad you are safe."

 **Nice long chapter for you all. I hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Eight: School**

Frigga smiled at him as he left with Natalie. The trip home was uneventful, and soon they were back in Tony's living room. It was dark out, and Natalie asked, "What time is it?"

"9:30 PM, Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said.

Apparently JARVIS had also told the others about their return, because Loki, Tony, Steve, and Bruce all came running in a minute later. Clint and Natasha were apparently working again. "How'd it go? Is Frigga alright?" Tony asked before Loki could open his mouth.

"She is fine," Thor said. "Natalie forced my father to confess that he had sent her to Jotunheim, and Natalie then convinced Sif to take her there and bring Mother back."

"Where were you?" Loki demanded.

"He was having a shouting match with Odin," Natalie said. "Frigga told Thor to take me back and stay until she comes to get him."

"You seriously took SIF to Jotunheim with you?" Loki asked.

"Yes, and I told her to let me do the talking," Natalie said. "Their king seemed to like me."

Loki shook his head. "You amaze me sometimes," he said. "Shall I take you home?"

"Yes please, I have class tomorrow," Natalie said. "Did you figure out what you're going to do?"

"Reindeer Games will be here, learning how to use the phone I'm going to give him," Tony said cheerfully. "What time will you be done?"

"I'll probably get home around 3," Natalie said. "Should I call when I get out?"

"Sure," Tony said. "I'll send Reindeer Games back when you call."

"Thanks," Natalie said.

"Do you need me to call a cab?" Tony asked.

"Nah, there's so many streetlights that we should be fine," Natalie said.

"Or I could teleport you," Loki commented.

"That works too," Natalie said. "I'm tired."

Loki wrapped his arms around her, and a minute later they were in the living room. "Bedtime?" Loki asked, watching Natalie yawn with amusement.

"Yup," Natalie said. "I'm going to get changed in my room; you can use the bathroom."

"Alright," Loki said. He went to Natalie's room with her, and took his pajamas, then left. Natalie closed the door and changed into her pajamas.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **The next morning:**_ "Loki, don't smash the alarm clock," Natalie said sleepily, feeling Loki jump when her alarm went off. She reached over and turned it off, then sleepily got up and gathered up some clothes before going to take a shower.

When she got out, she found that Loki was waiting in the kitchen, and that he had set out breakfast for both of them. She kissed his cheek and said, "Thanks."

"You are welcome," Loki said. "What time is your class?"

"It's at ten, but first I have to get there, which takes a while," Natalie explained. She started eating, and when she was finished, she brushed her teeth and went to grab her backpack. She put shoes on, and before she left, she kissed Loki and said, "Have fun with Tony!"

"…Why do I feel like you are mocking me?" Loki asked.

"Must be your paranoia kicking in," Natalie said, and headed out.

The ride to the campus was uneventful, and Natalie met up with her friend Amelia on the way into the building. "Natalie, how was your break?" Amelia asked.

"Fun," Natalie said. "I spent most of it trying to turn my boyfriend into an otaku. My brother Kevin helped when I went home for the weekend."

"You have a BOYFRIEND? Why didn't I know about this?" Amelia demanded.

"I met him over break," Natalie said. "And I believe you were in Maryland during break, which is why you didn't know about my boyfriend. I'll tell you more at lunch; class is starting in five minutes."

Amelia squeaked, and they ran for the classroom, which thankfully wasn't too far away.

At lunch, Natalie got swarmed by her friends, who started asking questions at high speed. "Guys, I can't answer ten questions at once!" Natalie said. "One at a time!"

"What's his name?" Amelia asked.

"Loki," Natalie said.

"How did you two meet?" Natalie's friend Marie asked.

"I found him," Natalie said. "And I noticed he was sick, so I brought him home with me, and things kind of spiraled off from there. And he's living with me now."

"Already?" Marie asked doubtfully.

"He didn't have anywhere else to go, and you know I've always wanted a roommate," Natalie said, shrugging. "He came with me when I went to see my parents, and my dad actually managed to refrain from the 'you will die from sharp pointy things' speech."

"Seriously?" Amelia asked.

"Yup," Natalie said. "My brother is helping me convert Loki to the wonderful religion that is anime."

"Natalie, you're addicted," her friend Katie said.

"Hey, at least I'm not addicted to drugs or smoking," Natalie said indignantly.

"Loki's not addicted to anything, right?" Amelia asked.

"Other than chocolate? Nope," Natalie said. "He's a SERIOUS chocoholic though."

Amelia and the others giggled. "What school does he go to?" Katie asked.

"He's not a student; he's looking for a job," Natalie said. "Considering his…. Background, I don't think he'll be going to college."

"Abusive family?" Marie asked. Like the other girls, she was in the psych program.

"Mainly his dad, but both parents had favoritism issues," Natalie said. "His mom is trying to mend bridges, but his dad kicked him out, which is part of why he's living with me."

"So he has a sibling?" Katie asked.

"Older brother," Natalie said. "I met him, and he's a complete idiot, though he's nice enough in person. He really cares about Loki, though, which is more than I can say for their parents. His brother was basically the golden boy, while Loki was shoved to the side. And this may or may not be related to his home situation, but if you ever meet him, I figured you should know that Loki has PTSD."

The others looked horrified, and finally Amelia said, "That's awful. Must have been really hard growing up."

"Yeah," Natalie said. "He seems a little happier than when I met him, though, so I'm hoping he'll start opening up more."

"Where is he now?" Amelia asked.

"He's with a friend, they're probably talking about science and technology," Natalie said. "His friend is really into that."

"How old is he?" Katie asked.

"He's my age," Natalie said. "Twenty-two."

After that the conversation turned to more mundane things, like class and vacations. When Natalie left the dining hall, it was almost time for her second class. Katie was the only one of her friends in that class with her, which was good because Katie was the quietest of her friends. Amelia and Marie tended to gossip while the teacher wasn't looking.

It was 2:15 when Natalie left campus, and she called Tony's number. _"Natalie?"_ she heard when he picked up.

"Hi Tony, can you let Loki know I'm on my way home?" Natalie asked.

" _Sure, he's playing with his new phone,"_ Tony said. _"I'll tell him to head over. Don't be too surprised if Thor shows up too; he's following Reindeer Games around like a lost puppy for some reason."_

"Oh joy," Natalie said dryly. "Talk to you soon."

" _Yup, bye,"_ Tony said, and hung up.

Natalie got off the subway and made her way home from there. When she got back to the apartment, she heard from inside, "Thor, if you do not put Mjolnir away, I will let Natalie castrate you."

Natalie went in, saw Thor and Loki, noticed Thor was holding his hammer, and asked sternly, "Thor, why is that THING in my apartment?"

"I do not go anywhere without Mjolnir," Thor said, as if it was obvious.

"New rule: Mjolnir does not come to my house," Natalie said. "Why did you give your hammer a name, by the way?"

"All great weapons need names," Thor proclaimed.

"It's a HAMMER. I do not see how that is a 'great weapon', but whatever," Natalie said. "Why are you here in the first place?"

"I am trying to convince my brother to forgive me," Thor replied.

"What did you do to him THIS time?" Natalie asked wearily.

"I may have accidentally thrown Mjolnir at him…." Thor said. "But I was half-asleep at the time."

"Note to self; Thor is not a morning person," Natalie muttered. "Loki, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, he didn't manage to hit me," Loki said. "He hasn't been listening to me when I say that, however, which is why he followed me home."

"So Thor and his pet hammer are here because he doesn't listen?" Natalie clarified.

"Exactly," Loki said, snickering.

A thought occurred to Natalie, and she smirked, then asked, "Thor, when's your birthday?"

"The twentieth of May, why?" Thor asked, confused.

"I have an idea for a present," Natalie said. "Loki, c'mere a minute."

Puzzled, Loki came over, and Natalie whispered in his ear, "We are so getting Thor a leash for Mjolnir for his birthday."

Loki started cracking up, and Natalie did the same. They were soon laughing too hard to stand up, and collapsed on the couch, while Thor looked at them in puzzlement. "What is so funny?" he asked.

"You'll see on your birthday," Natalie giggled. "Loki, should we get Tony in on this?"

"Yes, definitely," Loki snickered. "What color?"

"Hot pink," Natalie said- and they collapsed laughing again.

When they finally calmed down, Natalie asked, "Loki, when's your birthday?"

"April first," Loki said.

"That's this Saturday," Natalie said happily. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"Movie night with popcorn?" Loki suggested.

"Sure, it's your birthday," Natalie said. "I was more thinking along the lines of presents though."

"Books," Loki said.

"I'll see what I can find," Natalie said. She suddenly heard giggling outside her door, and said, "I think my friends came over to meet you. Thor, can you PLEASE put the hammer on the floor or something?"

Thor sulkily set Mjolnir down next to the couch as Natalie went to the door. She found Amelia, Marie, and Katie outside, about to knock. "Seriously?" she asked. "You three followed me home, right?"

"Yup!" Marie said happily. "I heard the name Thor; is that your boyfriend's older brother?"

"Yes, and he followed Loki home," Natalie sighed. "I suppose you can come in- though I am curious as to when you're planning to get homework done."

"It's not due till Thursday," Amelia pointed out.

"Fine, come in," Natalie sighed. She let her friends in, and closed the door, then went back to Loki. "Amelia, Marie, Katie, this is my boyfriend, Loki," she said. "And his older brother, Thor. Guys, these are my friends from the psychology program, Amelia, Marie, and Katie- aka the Giggle Sisters."

"You three are related?" Thor asked, confused.

"No, that's just Natalie's nickname for us because we're such close friends," Amelia said. "It's nice to meet both of you. Uh… what's with the hammer over there?"

"Thor's pet hammer," Natalie said. "He's rather obsessed with it."

Loki snickered, and Natalie's friends giggled. Thor looked disgruntled, and said, "Natalie still does not trust me around breakable items."

"With good reason," Loki said, rolling his eyes. "As I recall-"

He was cut off by Thor saying desperately, "Must you remind me of that constantly, Brother? It is bad enough that Natalie will never let me forget I broke her window; must you do it too?"

"Yes, Thor, simply because I enjoy the look on your face every time someone brings that up," Loki replied. "Perhaps we need to get a leash for you as well…."

"While this is highly amusing, exactly how long are you planning on staying, Thor?" Natalie asked.

"I should be leaving soon," Thor said. "Tony said he would buy more Pop-Tarts today."

"You like Pop-Tarts?" Natalie asked.

"He's obsessed, last I checked," Loki said dryly.

"Ugh," Natalie said. "I've never liked those things."

"There will be more for me then," Thor replied. "I will take my leave, but I will be back!"

"If you bring Mjolnir next time I will not let you in the house," Natalie warned him.

"Oh, very well," Thor said sulkily. He glared at Loki when he snickered, and headed out.

"We should go too Natalie," Amelia said. "Thanks for introducing us."

"Sure, have a nice night and I'll see you Thursday," Natalie said. She let her friends out and closed the door, then looked at Loki. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" she asked. "Besides chocolate?"

"Anything is fine," Loki said. "I like all your cooking."

Natalie smiled and said, "I'll make chicken quesadillas then."

The next morning, Natalie had an idea, and when she reached campus early for her TA position, she went to a place where she wouldn't be overheard and called Tony. When he picked up, Natalie said, "Tony, Loki's birthday is Saturday; any interest in helping me plan a surprise party?"

" _His birthday is April Fool's Day? That's ironic,"_ Tony commented. _"What did you have in mind?"_

"I can do all the cooking and bake the cake, I just need someone to keep him busy," Natalie said. "Also, my apartment isn't big enough to hold all of your friends, so if it's not too much trouble, can we do it at your place?"

" _What time?"_ Tony asked.

"2 in the afternoon; Loki said he wants to watch movies all night for his birthday, so I figured we could do a late lunch party," Natalie said.

" _Sounds fine; should I order pizza?"_ Tony asked.

"That might actually be a good idea if it's not too much trouble; I'm not used to cooking in bulk," Natalie admitted. "I'll make the cake though."

" _Great!"_ Tony said.

"I have to go, but call me if you think of anything else," Natalie said.

" _Will do,"_ Tony said, and hung up. Natalie smiled and went to the classroom.

 **More tomorrow! Next up: Loki's birthday!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Nine: Loki's Birthday**

 _ **Saturday morning:**_ Natalie had wrapped Loki's presents, and told him Tony needed her for something and to stay put until she got back. Loki seemed a bit suspicious, but agreed.

Natalie went to Stark Tower with the ingredients she had bought for the cake and Loki's presents, since she fully intended to give them to him at the party. JARVIS let her in, and she went straight to the kitchen, where she found Tony, Steve, and Bruce eating breakfast still. "Morning guys," she said happily. "Natasha and Clint are working?"

"No, they're out buying party decorations," Tony said, smirking.

"Are you trying to play matchmaker or something?" Natalie asked, amused.

"They keep dancing around each other; it was the perfect opportunity to give them some alone time!" Tony said.

"Point taken," Natalie said. "I'm going to start the cake, but you don't have to do anything."

"Isn't it a little early?" Tony asked.

"No, because I have the make the batter, bake the cake for an hour, let it cool, and frost it," Natalie explained. "And I can cover it when it's done, so it'll stay fresh for the next few days."

"Suit yourself," Tony said.

Natalie got out a mixing bowl, and started making the batter. "Hey, where'd Thor go?" she asked.

"He went to see if Frigga wanted to come," Steve replied.

Natalie put the cake pans in the oven, and said, "That's nice of him, I hope she can come." She cleaned up and started making the ganache.

"What kind of cake is that?" Bruce asked.

"Chocolate with chocolate ganache," Natalie replied. "Loki is a chocoholic."

Tony snickered. "What did you get him for a present?" he asked.

"I got him a book that I saw him eyeing when I took him to a bookstore, and a pendant made of amber," Natalie said. "Amber supposedly helps ground and calm people if you wear it, and I thought Loki would like it."

"Considering Thor mentioned he's almost never gotten anything for his birthday, I'm sure he'll be very happy," Steve said. "Oh, and Bruce here had an idea that we thought we'd run by you before going through with it."

"What is it?" Natalie asked.

"I was thinking that you two might like a kitten," Bruce said. "Steve likes them a lot, and he says they're therapeutic, so I thought maybe we should get you and Loki a kitten. But we didn't know what the rules of your apartment building were, or whether or not that's something you'd be welcoming of."

"Loki seemed to really like my brother's pet cat," Natalie said thoughtfully. "And small animals are allowed at my building. It's just big pets like large dogs that aren't allowed. We should run this by Loki too though, so why don't we ask him at the party?"

"Sounds like a plan," Steve said. "Tony won't let me get a kitten…."

"Tony, do you have something against cats?" Natalie asked.

"I do not want a kitten in my lab," Tony grumbled. "And the Capsicle has this habit of carrying kittens everywhere."

"Capsicle?" Natalie asked. "That's even weirder than 'Reindeer Games'. Besides, can't you just have JARVIS warn you if Steve's kitten comes near your lab?"

"That's what I said, but he didn't listen," Steve said.

"I still don't want a kitten," Tony said.

"Even if Steve lets you choose the name?" Natalie asked.

"…..I'll consider it."

"Natalie, you're a miracle worker," Steve said.

"I don't understand how anyone could not like kittens- unless they're allergic," Natalie said.

"Mmph," Tony said grouchily as Natalie checked on the cake. She then took it out to cool. The ganache was cooling as well, and fifteen minutes later, Natalie started frosting the cake, which was a two-layer chocolate cake by the time she was done. She let the ganache set as she mixed up some green frosting and got her pastry bag, then carefully wrote on the cake, "Happy B-Day Loki!" in fancy letters. "What do you think?" she asked, showing the others.

"Looks great," Tony said. "You're pretty talented."

"Glad you think so," Natalie said with a smile. She covered the cake with a large pot and put it aside, then cleaned up as Natasha and Clint came back.

"What took you guys so long?" Tony asked. "It's been two hours!"

"We stopped for coffee on the way," Natasha said. "Hello Natalie."

"Hi!" Natalie said cheerfully. "I made the cake, so now we need pizza- unless I'm cooking something else."

"I'll order pizza," Tony said. "You guys start decorating." He took out his cell phone and left the room, dialing a number. Natasha reached into a bag she was carrying and took out green paper plates and black napkins. Natalie took them and started setting the table while Clint and Steve put up a Happy Birthday banner. Tony came back as they finished, and said, "Pizza's on the way; Natalie, you should call Loki and tell him to come over."

"Okay," Natalie said. She took out her cell phone and found Loki's number, then hit Send. He picked up after three rings, and Natalie said, "Loki, Tony wants you to come over, can you?"

" _Yes,"_ Loki said. _"I will be there soon."_

"Great," Natalie said, and hung up, just as JARVIS said, "Sir, Mr. Odinson and his mother have arrived."

Sure enough, Thor and Frigga came into the room, and Frigga said, "Thank you for inviting me. And Natalie, thank you for doing this for Loki."

"Sure," Natalie said.

The pizza had just come when JARVIS said, "Mr. Laufeyson is here."

"Send him up," Tony said.

Loki came in a few minutes later, and looked confused to see everyone there- until Natalie said, "Happy Birthday, Loki!" The others echoed her, and Loki seemed shocked. "You set up a party for my birthday?" he asked.

"Sure did, and it was all Natalie's idea," Tony said. "I just told the others that we were having a party here today."

Loki smiled. "Thank you," he said. He looked at Natalie, who smiled. "You told me you'd never had a real birthday party, so I figured it was high time you had one," she said. "Tony ordered pizza; do you want some?"

"I would like some," Loki said. They all converged on the pizza boxes, and soon everyone was eating happily.

"Natalie, when is your birthday?" Frigga asked as they were cleaning up.

"My birthday is June 5th," Natalie said. "So I've got a ways to go before I turn twenty-three. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious," Frigga replied with a rather secretive smile.

"Mother, you are plotting something," Loki said flatly.

"Perhaps," Frigga said.

"Do you want to do cake or presents first, Loki?" Natalie asked. "We can figure out what Frigga might be plotting later."

"Cake?" Loki asked hopefully, attention diverted.

Natalie giggled and went to get the cake. She put the large '23' candle in the center, lit it, and carried the cake to the table, joining in as Tony started singing the happy birthday song. She had a feeling he was singing off-key on purpose, but didn't comment as she set the cake in front of Loki and said cheerfully, "Make a wish!"

Loki thought for a minute and then blew out the candle. Natalie took the candle out and got a cake knife, then started cutting slices for everyone. "His slice is bigger!" Tony complained, pointing to Loki.

"It's my birthday, Stark," Loki said, smirking. Tony started sulking as he ate his cake.

"I'll make a cake for your birthday too, Tony," Natalie said. "And then I'll let you cut the slices. The only reason I didn't let Loki cut the cake is because of his chocolate addiction. There wouldn't be any left for the rest of us."

"I cannot help being addicted to chocolate," Loki said. "But I don't understand why you keep making me put the packages of Oreos back on the shelf whenever we go shopping."

"Oreos are far more addictive than chocolate, and once you've had one, you get a compulsion to eat the entire package," Natalie said. "Also, they're really unhealthy."

"What is it with you and healthy?" Tony asked.

"If you eat a healthy diet, it's not only good for your body, it's good for your mental health as well," Natalie said. "By the way, do you know someone named Pepper?"

"She's the CEO of my company, if we're thinking of the same person," Tony said. "Why?"

"I got a text from your phone signed 'Pepper' yesterday, asking me to do something about your alcohol addiction," Natalie said. "I'll be by tomorrow to 'chat' with you."

Tony groaned. "How did she even know you existed?" he moaned.

"Miss Potts was asking me questions, and I mentioned I had a girlfriend who might be able to help with your addiction," Loki said. "I presume she found your phone and used it to ask Natalie for help."

Tony glared at Loki, who simply smirked back.

"So, are we watching Loki open presents?" Steve asked, trying to break the tension.

"Good idea," Natalie said. "I'll go get the ones in the living room." She got up, and went to the living room, where she found two other presents, one of which appeared to be from Natasha. Natalie took them all back to Loki, and said, "These two are from me, the one wrapped in blue is from Natasha, and I think this other one is from Frigga."

Loki looked a bit startled, but opened Natalie's presents first. He smirked when he saw the book she had gotten him; it was a novel titled _Loki: Why I Began The End._ The author was named Maia Jacomus. Loki had thought it would be interesting to read, and Natalie agreed, so she bought it for him.

He looked puzzled when he opened the amber pendant, which was on a black cord. "Amber?" he asked.

"Yep, it's supposedly meant to help ground people and calm them if they wear it," Natalie said. "And I think it'll go nicely with the amount of black and green you tend to wear."

"Thank you," Loki said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. Natalie smiled as he then opened Natasha's present, which turned out to be a set of daggers. Loki looked at Natasha, startled, and she said, "I figured you might need a way to defend yourself if we have more problems."

"Thank you, that is very kind of you," Loki replied. He turned to Frigga's present, which appeared to be a small jewelry box. Loki looked at Frigga, who said, "Open it, and I'll explain."

Loki obeyed, and found two matching rings inside. Both were made of gold, with a silver overlay in the shape of a twisting vine. "Those are rings that I had specially made," Frigga said. "If you and Natalie ever decide you wish to marry, those rings are for you both. Even if you don't, I want you to keep them, and know that despite my mistakes, I love you and will support you no matter what. The rings have a protection spell on them as well."

"Thank you, Mother," Loki said, and it was clear he was very sincere.

The others smiled, and then Thor said, "I wanted to give you a sword, but Mother and Tony informed me that Lady Natalie would not take kindly to that."

"I don't know where we'd PUT a sword," Natalie said. "Not to mention what use we'd have for it."

"I prefer daggers in any case," Loki said. After a minute, he said as an afterthought, "But I thank you for the sentiment, Thor."

Thor beamed, clearly thrilled.

Steve cleared his throat after a minute, and as the others looked at him, he said, "Loki, Bruce suggested getting you and Natalie a kitten for your birthday; would you be interested in that?"

"I would be interested in that," Loki said. "Natalie?"

"I already told them yes, but that we should check with you," Natalie said. "When should we go?"

"Now?" Loki suggested.

"Sounds fine to me," Steve said. He looked at Tony, who shrugged and got up. "Where's the nearest cat shelter?" he asked.

"Centre Street, I believe," Steve said. "It's called Animal Haven."

"And you know this how?" Tony asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I walked by it a few times," Steve said, shrugging. "Should we go?"

"Alright," Tony said. He didn't sound enthusiastic, but he called a cab. While they were waiting, Frigga and Thor went back to Asgard, after saying goodbye to Loki and Natalie. Natalie was surprised when Frigga hugged her as well as Loki.

The cab came a few minutes later, and Natalie, Loki, Steve, and Tony got in. "Stark, you do not look very happy," Loki commented as the driver drove.

"We're going to end up leaving with five kittens, I just know it," Tony said.

"Because of Steve?" Natalie asked. "I don't think even he can handle five kittens, Tony. And Steve, if Tony doesn't let you bring a kitten home, you're welcome to come play with ours anytime."

"Thanks for the offer," Steve said as they reached Animal Haven. Tony tipped the driver, and they all went into the shelter. One of the volunteers welcomed them, and said, "Let me know if you need help."

"Thanks," Natalie said. She spotted a black kitten, and went over. The kitten had very green eyes, and stuck a paw out of the cage when it saw her. Natalie smiled and called, "Loki, this one looks like you."

Loki, Tony, and Steve came over, and Tony said, "Jeez, it's the spitting image of Loki."

"You think I look like a cat?" Loki asked, amused.

"It's a female, and she's two months old," Natalie said, reading the sign. "Her name is Evergreen, apparently." Evergreen mewed cutely when she heard her name.

"Aww…." Steve said.

The young woman volunteering came up to them and said, "Evergreen is a real sweetie; I'm kind of surprised she's been here a month and no one's taken her."

"Do we have to go elsewhere to get her neutered?" Natalie asked.

"No, we do that here as part of taking a cat or kitten home," the woman said. "We also do vaccines, microchips, and give you a license. It's $150 for cats, and $175 for kittens, and the fee covers all that. Have you ever had a kitten?"

"No, but I've had a cat," Natalie said. "She lives with my parents, though."

"You know they require a lot of attention," the woman commented. "I'm not saying that you shouldn't get one, but if you're not home most of the time, it might be better to look into a cat. Kittens are kind of like toddlers; they need constant attention and are pretty hyper. I always wanted a kitten, but since I'm a student, I don't have the time for one."

"I'm a student too," Natalie said. "Loki, what do you think?"

"She may be right, an adult cat would be better if we're not home all the time," Loki said thoughtfully. "I am home more than you, but maybe we should try getting an adult cat before getting a kitten- or at least wait to get a kitten until you are finished with school."

"Which would you rather? It's your birthday," Natalie said.

"I would prefer to wait and get a kitten when you're done with school, so we can bond over something OTHER than anime," Loki said with a smirk.

Natalie lifted an eyebrow and asked, "You don't like anime?"

"Did I say that?" Loki asked, lifting an eyebrow in return.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but if you don't plan to take Evergreen, I think I will," Steve said.

Tony sighed, and Steve said, "I PROMISE I'll keep her out of your lab, Tony."

"You're responsible for the kitten, got it?" Tony asked.

"I understand," Steve said, and turned to the young woman, then said, "I'd like to adopt Evergreen."

"Sure," the young woman said happily. "I'll take her to the vet so she can get neutered and checked over, and then you can have her. It shouldn't take more than half an hour; do you have a cat carrier?"

"Uh…. oops," Steve said.

"I'll go get a cat carrier," Tony said. "And a litterbox. But you're buying the kitten and the food!"

"Got it," Steve said happily.

Evergreen mewed as the young woman took her out and took her to the back for a check-up. Tony left, and the young woman came back with some paperwork. Steve went over as Natalie and Loki wandered around, looking at different kittens and cats.

About half an hour later, Tony was back with a cat carrier, a litterbox, and an irritated expression. "What happened?" Natalie asked.

"I got mobbed by fan girls," Tony said. "This is why I don't like going to stores…"

Loki snickered, and Tony glared at him. The young woman came back holding Evergreen, and Tony handed Steve the cat carrier, which had a blanket inside it. The woman helped Steve settle his new kitten in the carrier, and said, "She's all yours; take good care of her!"

"I will, thank you," Steve said. He had a slightly goofy grin on his face as they walked out, and Tony got a cab for them.

When they got back to Stark Tower, they found the others watching some movie in the living room. Bruce hit Pause and asked, "How'd it go?"

"We decided to wait to get a kitten until we both have the time and energy to take care of one," Loki said. "Steve, however, has a new pet."

"What's the kitten's name?" Bruce asked.

"Evergreen," Steve said, letting the little kitten out. "She's cute."

"She also looks like Reindeer Games," Tony said. "She has the same eyes and her fur is black."

"Why do you call Loki 'Reindeer Games' all the time?" Natalie asked.

"The helmet he was wearing when he was attacking us made him look kind of like a reindeer," Tony said, shrugging.

"Somehow I can't imagine that, but okay," Natalie said. She looked at Loki, and asked, "Should we leave?"

"Sure," Loki said. "We still have to watch movies all night."

"And I still have to make popcorn," Natalie said. "Tony, thank you for hosting us and getting the pizza."

"Sure," Tony said. "That was good cake."

"Let me know when your birthday is so I can make your cake," Natalie said. "Oh, and I will be back tomorrow to chat with you about your alcohol problem, as per Pepper's request."

"Why is it a problem?" Tony grumbled.

Natalie looked at him and said, "My dad's dad had the same drinking problem, and he died when he was forty-five, shortly after his daughter, my dad's younger sister, was born. I don't want to see that happen to you, Tony Stark." She grabbed Loki's hand and dragged him off, leaving the Avengers, and Tony in particular, with a lot to think about.

When Natalie and Loki got home, Loki asked, "Are you alright?"

"I just don't understand why people don't realize that their drinking problems are actually a problem," Natalie said. "My dad lost his father when he was ten years old, all because he couldn't get over a drinking problem. It was an addiction that killed him, and I grew up hearing stories about how drinking was basically evil. My dad swore he'd never drink alcohol, and told me and Kevin that while it was our choice when we were old enough, he didn't want to see us drunk even once. My mom doesn't drink either, out of respect for my father's choices and because she doesn't particularly like it. Kevin and I both swore after hearing what alcohol did to our grandfather and his family that we would never drink. At some point in time, we actually went so far as to write a contract that we both signed, and gave to our dad as a birthday present. And though I'm legally old enough to drink, I have never once touched a drop of alcohol. My friends at school respect my decision, which is the only reason I never got dragged to a bar on my twenty-first birthday."

"I do not particularly like alcohol myself," Loki said. "However, there is little else on Asgard. I enjoy the variety here."

Natalie smiled. "I'm glad," she said. "So, ready to watch movies?"

"No popcorn?" Loki asked.

Natalie giggled, and went to make popcorn.

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Ten: Alcohol Poisoning**

 _ **The next day, at Stark Tower:**_ Natalie had come alone this time; Loki was home reading his new book, and apparently it was so good he didn't want to put it down. She walked up to the front door, and was surprised when JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Dr. Banner wants to speak with you."

"Alright," Natalie said. JARVIS let her in, and directed her to what appeared to be Bruce's bedroom. She hadn't seen Tony at all, and was beginning to wonder if she had done something wrong. Bruce opened the door when she knocked, and let her in. "Is this about Tony?" Natalie asked.

Bruce gave her a half-smile and said, "Perceptive as ever. Have a seat." He waved to an armchair, and Natalie sat down, waiting. After a minute, Bruce said, "I know you probably already know this, but…. Tony's had it hard. I don't know much about him, since you were right that night; he never lets anyone in, and the closest he's ever come to letting someone in is the occasional thing he says to me. He doesn't trust Natasha or Clint, and he's got something against Steve, which I believe has something to do with his childhood, but I can't confirm that. Tony, like Loki, suffers from PTSD, and though we've all tried, Steve more than anyone, to get him to stop drinking, he won't. It's his way of coping, and while I know better than anyone how much harm alcohol can do, there's just no stopping Tony. You're right, the carefree playboy he pretends to be is just an act, and deep down he's as broken as they come. But he's also a really good person, despite how much he tries to hide it. I think Pepper sees that too, because she asked you for help- help that she can't give. Everyone on the team has a bad past, myself included. Tony's may be worse than most, but I honestly don't know. If you can help him, even just a little- well, I'd be really grateful. Tony went back to his room after you left, and he hasn't come out so far. The rest of us talked it over, and I was elected to tell you this, since I have the best relationship with Tony."

"I didn't mean to hurt him," Natalie said. "The drinking problem does hit close to home, yes, but I shouldn't have brought that up. My personal feelings shouldn't get in the way of helping someone."

"I think it's good that you brought that up, and I'd encourage you to share your feelings on the matter with Tony," Bruce said. "That night you analyzed him, I actually felt hope that he had found someone he could open up to. I mean, if you can get LOKI to open up around you, you might not have as much trouble with Tony as the rest of us do."

"I'll do my best," Natalie said. She looked at Bruce for a minute, and then added, "For all of you, not just Tony."

Bruce smiled at her. "Thank you," he said. He looked at the ceiling, and asked, "JARVIS, is Tony still in his room?"

"Yes," JARVIS replied. "And-" The AI stopped mid-sentence, and Natalie asked, "What?"

There was silence, and Natalie said, "Bruce, where is Tony's room?"

"Next floor up," Bruce said.

Natalie got up and flung the door open, then ran down the hall to the elevator. She found the door that Bruce had mentioned closed when she got upstairs, and knocked loudly. "Tony, are you okay?" she called as Bruce caught up to her.

There was no response. "Maybe we should-" Bruce started, but Natalie ignored him and kicked Tony's door down. She saw Tony lying in bed, and went in, noticing his skin was paler than usual. She shook him and said, "Tony, wake up. Are you okay?"

There was no response. Natalie checked for a pulse and found one, but then noticed the bottle next to Tony's bed, and looked over at Bruce. "Bruce, I'm calling 911," she said. "If the others are around, inform them Tony has alcohol poisoning."

Bruce ran off to do that as Natalie grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911. As soon as the dispatcher picked up, Natalie asked for immediate medical assistance, and told the dispatcher the address. As soon as the woman said she'd send someone over, Natalie thanked her and hung up. "JARVIS, when the medics get here, let them in," she said.

"Yes Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said.

Fifteen minutes later, Natalie heard footsteps and looked up as three EMTs came in with a stretcher. Natalie moved back to let them take Tony. "Miss, do you know how long he's been like this?" one of them asked.

"No," Natalie said. "I came in here because he wasn't responding to either knocking or shouting, and found him like this."

"Alright, we'll take him to the hospital. We may need more information; can you come?" the man asked.

"I'll come," Natalie said. She followed them to the elevator, and then to the ambulance, after telling Bruce and Steve that she would handle things. A minute later she was headed to the hospital with Tony, and wondering vaguely whether or not this was her fault.

When they reached the hospital, Natalie answered all the questions fired at her to the best of her ability, and sighed when the last question was, "What is your relation to Mr. Stark?"

"I'm a friend of his," Natalie said, while thinking, _I am SO forcing him into therapy for this…._

The doctors left her alone in the ER waiting room after that. Natalie sat there for four hours before a doctor came out and asked, "Miss McKenzie?"

"Yes?" Natalie said, looking up.

"Mr. Stark is going to be fine, but we need to make sure this doesn't happen again," the man said. "According to his medical records, he's been in here for the same problem before."

"I fully intend to break him of this drinking habit he's got," Natalie said. "Do you have any suggestions? I'm not as well-informed on the repercussions of alcohol poisoning as I'd like to be."

"Just try to insure that he doesn't overdo it," the doctor said. "I would suggest trying to figure out why he has this addiction, though, if you intend to stop it. Realizing why he's doing this is the first step to recovery. You seem fairly well-informed on our procedures, I noticed."

"I'm a psych major," Natalie said. "I'll have my doctorate in a few weeks, and I made sure to take classes that would help should I ever need to refer a patient to the hospital."

"Well, that's good," the man said. "It's mainly thanks to your quick response that Mr. Stark will be fine."

"Are you releasing him today or tomorrow?" Natalie asked.

"We're releasing him tonight, but make sure he doesn't drink any alcohol," the doctor said. "Do you mind going back to his house and getting something other than pajamas for him to wear?"

"I don't mind," Natalie said. "I'll go now, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thank you," the doctor said. Natalie took her purse and left. It took half an hour to get back to the tower, and Natalie sighed as she went in. She found the rest of the team in the kitchen, and they all asked at once, "How's Tony?"

"The doctor said he'll be fine, but that he can't drink for a while, and that someone, i.e. me at this point, should make sure he gets over this addiction," Natalie said. "I came back to get some clothes and a pair of shoes for him, since apparently they're letting him go home sometime tonight. The main problem now is that Tony is going to want to drink no matter what, and he's unlikely to listen to people who tell him otherwise."

"Any ideas?" Steve asked.

"I had two," Natalie replied. "And I have to get clothes and get back soon, so I'll make this brief."

"I can get clothes, you can tell me later," Natasha said. She left, and Natalie said, "My first idea was to lock every last bottle of any type of alcohol in one place and have Loki put a spell on it so Tony can't get it or use JARVIS to override a lock or password. My second idea was to take all the alcohol in the tower and take it to my place, then either dispose of it or hide it until Tony recognizes that drinking like this is really bad for him."

"And the rest of us?" Clint asked. "Steve's the only one who doesn't drink regularly."

Natalie rubbed her forehead wearily and said, "You're either going to have to go out to drink, or not do it at all while living here."

"Why?" Clint asked. "If we keep Tony away from it-"

"And how long do you think it'll be until he finds a way around that?" Natalie demanded. "How long before this happens again? I know the rest of you don't have Tony's problem, but if you drink around him while he can't drink at all, it'll worsen your relationships with him. I KNOW most people like having a drink once in a while, or every night, but Tony obviously doesn't know his limits. If I hadn't kicked his door down this morning when Bruce and I noticed something was wrong, Tony would be DEAD right now. If he keeps drinking, he will almost certainly die much younger than anyone should. Is that really what you want? Tony's not always the nicest person, but I think he should get the chance to get over this addiction."

"You're right," Steve said. "I think we can all agree that we don't want Tony to die, or continue with this addiction. Clint, Bruce, Natasha, I agree with Natalie. We need to get the alcohol out of the house and make sure Tony doesn't drink again."

The others looked resigned, but nodded. Natasha handed Natalie a bag, and said, "Take that to Tony, it's clothes and a pair of sneakers."

"We'll dispose of all the alcohol," Bruce added. He looked at the others, and said, "We'd better search the tower, knowing Tony. He probably has alcohol in his room, too."

"Good luck," Natalie said, and left. She called Loki on the way back, and left a message when he didn't pick up, letting him know she'd be home late and why.

She reached the hospital an hour and a half after she left, and got directed to a room on the fifth floor. She found a doctor coming out of the room, and the woman smiled at her as she went in. Natalie closed the door behind her and turned to see Tony sleeping in the hospital bed. She sat down in a chair next to the bed, and leaned her head on her hand.

 _When did my life get this complicated?_ she wondered. _My boyfriend is a god, my new friends are the AVENGERS, and I'm starting to feel like one of those girls in anime who lead double lives as schoolgirls and superheroes- except I'm not a superhero. When I decided to dedicate my life to helping people, I didn't expect it to be this crazy._

Thinking that, Natalie smiled. _I'm happy, and I can help people,_ she thought. _That's all that really matters. There's no reason why crazy should be bad, and at least I won't be bored._

She stopped thinking abruptly when she heard Tony ask, "Natalie?"

Natalie gave him her best impression of her mother's 'Mom Look', and he winced. "You're going to say 'I told you so,' aren't you?" he asked.

"No, I'm not," Natalie said. "Not yet, anyways. You really need to stop drinking, though. The doctors said you can't have any alcohol for the next week. And even after that, you need to stop. If I hadn't decided to ignore Bruce and kick your door down, I'm fairly certain you'd be dead right now."

"I'm going to need a new door, right?" Tony sighed. "How did you know?"

"JARVIS started to tell me and suddenly stopped in mid-sentence," Natalie said. "I figured you had told JARVIS not to tell us something, and I got worried because Bruce said you had been in your room since I left last night. So when knocking and shouting at you didn't work, I kicked the door down and found you unconscious with a bottle next to you. I called 911, and aside from going back to tell the others your condition and getting clothes for you, I've been here all day."

"No Loki?" Tony asked.

"He's obsessed with that book I bought him for his birthday," Natalie said. "He barely even put it down when I left this morning."

"What time is it?" Tony asked.

Natalie checked her cell phone. "It's 6:30 PM," she said.

"I've been out all day, then?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Natalie said.

"Why were you so upset last night, and why are you so passionate right now?" Tony asked.

Natalie sighed. "I couldn't save my grandfather from drinking himself to death," she said. "I couldn't save my aunt or my oldest cousin when they went the same way. I couldn't save my father from the pain he went through. The best I could do for my dad was promise that I would never drink a drop of alcohol as long as I lived. I couldn't save my mom's youngest sister when she started doing illegal drugs, and was eventually thrown in prison. I couldn't save my cousins when they got bullied for having a druggie for a mother. At least they survived. When I realized all these people could have been saved if they had had someone who would listen and help them through it, I decided that someday, I would be the person people went to when they needed that kind of help. I would be the person people went to when they needed someone to listen or a shoulder to cry on. I was thirteen when I told my parents that I was going to save as many people as I could simply by listening. I was sixteen when I was accepted into the early admissions psych program at NYU. I was eighteen when I scored high enough on tests to get a full-ride scholarship for the advanced psychology program at NYU. I was twenty when I got my first job offer for when I graduated. And I was twenty-two when I met two people who I knew needed saving, and that was when I decided that I would do whatever it took to save those two people and as many more as I could. I'm not a superhero; I can't wield swords, shoot energy blasts at people, or cast spells, but I can save people all the same. Loki is already on the mend; he's already opening up to me and reconciling with his mother and brother. His nightmare problem has gotten better, and while he still can't handle things like crowds or too much stress, he's working on it. But you, Tony, you're NOT on the mend. You don't open up and you hide your feelings till no one knows the real you. You have PTSD like Loki, yet you don't do anything to help yourself. You nearly DIED this morning because you think drinking helps you. It doesn't help, and it never will. And I've decided that even though I couldn't save my family, I am going to save you. And I'm going to do it because I care about you, not because I feel sorry for you or something like that. I'm going to save you because you do have friends who care about you, whether you talk to them or not. I'm going to save you not because you're rich and important, but because you're _Tony,_ and I like you for who you are."

Tony sounded choked up when he asked, "You like me?"

"Yes," Natalie said with a smile. "You're my friend, and I don't let my friends down."

Tony actually had tears in his eyes as he looked at her. Suddenly they both heard clapping, and jerked around to stare at the door as it opened and they saw quite a few people outside, all of whom were clapping. "Someone heard that whole speech and told the building, right?" Natalie asked.

The doctors ignored that comment, and one of them said, "Miss McKenzie, that was simply beautiful. Dr. Munson was right when he said we'd be fine if we left Mr. Stark in your hands."

Natalie was bright red as she said, "Th-thanks?"

"I mainly came in here to say that Mr. Stark is free to go after he checks out, but most of us decided we'd listen to your speech before saying that," the woman said.

"Why is that guy behind you holding a tape recorder?" Natalie asked suspiciously.

Said guy just smirked. The doctor sighed and said, "Why don't you wait outside while Mr. Stark gets changed."

"Oh right, I brought clothes and sneakers for you," Natalie said, handing Tony a bag and getting up. "Meet you outside," she said, and headed out. The minute the door closed behind her, Natalie suddenly noticed that a guy who was obviously a reporter was there too, and sighed. "Next time I have something to say to Tony, I'll say it somewhere a little less populated," she said.

The others started to move off, including the reporter and the man with the tape recorder. Tony came out a minute later, and asked, "Ready to go Natalie?"

"Yep," Natalie said. She followed Tony out, and waited as he checked out of the hospital. There was a cab waiting for them already, and they got in. As the cab drove, Tony said quietly, "Thanks, Natalie."

"You're welcome," Natalie said. "So you're not going to drink anymore, right?"

"I'll try not to," Tony said.

"Your friends will help," Natalie said.

"You sure?" Tony asked.

"I had a talk with them too," Natalie said. "And the first thing out of their mouths when I walked into the tower was, "How's Tony?" They really care about you, whether you believe it or not."

Tony was quiet for the rest of the ride. They reached Stark Tower, and went in. They found the others waiting, and Loki was there too. "Tony, how are you?" Bruce asked, concerned.

"I'm better," Tony said. He took a breath and said, "Look, I know I'm not always the nicest person to be around, and I've got a lot of problems. But I think I'm going to try to change that, because I do like you guys, and I don't want to lose friends because of my mainly fake personality."

The other Avengers stared at him for a moment before Loki said, "Natalie got through, I take it?"

"Yeah," Tony said softly. "Yeah, she did."

"Any other news?" Clint asked after a minute.

"I'm going to try to stop drinking," Tony said.

"We already took care of that," Natasha said with a sliver of a smile. "Natalie got through to us as well, and we took all the alcohol in the house and got rid of it. JARVIS even helped us find your hidden stashes."

"Natalie made a good point; as long as you're not drinking, we shouldn't either, because it might tempt you back to bad habits," Clint said. "Now if any of us need a drink, we'll just go out without telling you."

"Thanks," Tony said.

"I fixed your bedroom door, Tony," Bruce said. "There's still a dent, but it works."

"Thanks Bruce," Tony said. "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm hungry."

"What did you have in mind?" Natalie asked.

"It's late, let's get pizza," Tony said. "I know you've got class tomorrow."

"I enjoy pizza," Loki said. The others nodded, and Tony ordered a few pizzas for them.

Natalie and Loki headed out after dinner, but before they left, Tony asked, "Natalie, will you come back tomorrow?"

"Sure," Natalie said. "I'll come after class."

"Thanks," Tony said. Natalie smiled, and she and Loki left.

As they were getting ready for bed, though, Natalie's cell phone rang. "Odd, it's my mom," she said. She picked up and said, "Hi Mom, what's up? Is something wrong?"

" _Natalie, did you watch the evening news?"_ Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"No, is something wrong?" Natalie asked.

" _You were the main feature, as was the speech you gave Mr. Stark,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

"THEY PUT THAT ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!?" Natalie shrieked.

" _Yes, and I'm really proud of you,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"But what happened?"_

"I was at Tony's tower this morning and discovered he wasn't responding to anyone, so I kicked his door down and discovered he had alcohol poisoning," Natalie said. "I called 911, and I went with him to the hospital. I just got home a little while ago, and I think I got through to Tony. I didn't realize until after that little talk that someone had recorded it. Can I go to bed now, before I get even MORE embarrassed?"

" _Alright,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"Are you remembering to get Loki to eat?"_

"Yes, Mom," Natalie sighed. "And we had a birthday party for him; yesterday was his birthday."

" _Tell him I said happy birthday, and have a nice night,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

"I will, night Mom," Natalie said, and hung up. She looked at Loki, who was eyeing the phone with distrust. "She is not going to try to 'fatten me up' again, right?" he asked.

"She just called to tell me that apparently I made headline news with my advice to Tony," Natalie sighed. "If I wasn't so serious about my education, I would be hiding somewhere tomorrow rather than going to school."

"You'll be fine," Loki said confidently. "What happened to the self-confidence you have?"

Natalie smiled. "You're right," she said. "I'm not going to let this get me down. I do, however, need sleep, so let's go to bed, 'kay?"

"Sure," Loki said. They climbed into bed, and curled up together before falling asleep.

 **Hope you liked this, and please tell me what you think of this chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Eleven: Tony's Story**

The next morning, Natalie went to class, trying to ignore the stares of people who had seen the news. Natalie was pretty well known within the college, since she was considered a prodigy. Most people didn't realize that the real reason behind her success was lots of hard work and studying. Natalie took her studies very seriously, since she knew the first step to achieving her dream was to graduate and get her degree to practice. She was the top of her class, and had plenty of opportunities.

Just before the end of class, as the others were packing up, the professor said, "Natalie, a word, if you don't mind?"

"Sure," Natalie said. She followed her professor to the woman's office, and sat down in the chair she pointed to.

"Natalie, I saw the news last night," her professor said.

"I think the whole COUNTRY saw the news last night," Natalie groused.

"I know you don't particularly love the spotlight, and I won't ask how you know Mr. Stark, but I wanted you to know that I and all your other professors are really proud of that speech we heard last night," the professor said. "I know your main motivation for becoming a therapist, and I want you to know that I am very proud to have such a dedicated, thoughtful student. It's refreshing to see someone with such a noble goal from a young age. I think that once you graduate, you're going to do great things."

"Thank you," Natalie said. "I just want to save as many people as I can, so no one has to go through what my family did."

"And that is why I'm so proud of you," her professor said. "I look forward to watching your career. You can go, but if you need anything, come to me, okay?"

"Thanks, Professor," Natalie said. She got up and left, headed to the dining hall.

Her friends immediately converged on her as she sat down with her lunch, and Amelia asked, "Natalie, why didn't you tell us you were friends with Tony Stark?"

"Because no offense, but you and Marie would go into fan girl mode, and I'd have you following me everywhere," Natalie replied. "Also, he asked me not to tell anyone, since it would cause problems for both of us. Can you drop the issue, please?"

"Aww…" Marie said. "Do we have to?"

"Just pretend I'm fully certified and he's my client," Natalie said. "You know we'll all have to sign CDAs at some point- think of this as practice."

"Oh, fine," Marie said sulkily.

"On a more amusing note, I think Loki is starting to be wary of my mom," Natalie said.

"Why?" Amelia asked.

"She goes into full-blown mother hen mode whenever he's around," Natalie said. "Do you know what he asked the first time she said he was too thin and she was going to fatten him up?"

"What?" Marie asked.

"He asked her if she was planning on feeding him to something," Natalie giggled. Her friends started laughing, and soon all talk of Tony was forgotten, much to Natalie's secret relief.

 **~XXXX~**

After her classes were done, Natalie made her way to Stark Tower. She found Steve in the kitchen with Loki on her way up, and stopped briefly to say hi. "Hey guys," she said.

"Good, you're here," Steve said.

"Any particular reason, or are you just happy to see me?" Natalie asked.

"Tony's been pacing around like a caged animal all day, and won't tell anyone why," Steve replied. "He's acting kind of nervous, too, which is unusual. We're all hoping you can help."

"I hope he's not having withdrawal symptoms," Natalie said. "Where is he?"

"He's in the training room," Steve said. "He said something about burning energy."

"I offered to spar with him, but he was not interested," Loki commented.

"Odd," Natalie said. "Where's the training room?"

"I will show you," Loki said. He led her to the elevator, and JARVIS took them down a few floors. Loki led Natalie to a sliding door, and as he was about to knock, the doors opened and Tony came out, drying his hair with a towel. "Hey," he said. He looked at Loki, and asked, "Can Natalie and I talk alone?"

"I don't mind; Natalie?" Loki asked.

"I don't mind either," Natalie said. "Where do you want to talk?"

"My lab," Tony said. He noticed Loki's raised eyebrow, and said, "It's soundproof, and no one can get in besides me."

Loki shrugged and headed off. Natalie followed Tony to another elevator, and a few minutes later, they got off at a floor Natalie had never seen before. Tony led the way to his lab, and let Natalie in, then said, "JARVIS, make sure no one comes in, and don't interrupt me unless it's a dire emergency, got it?"

"Yes sir," JARVIS said. Tony waved Natalie to a seat at the worktable, and sighed, sitting down in the other chair. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "Can I tell you a story?"

"Of course," Natalie said.

Tony took a deep breath, and said, "I didn't have an easy childhood. My father was obsessed with Captain America, who had gone missing during World War II. He didn't really pay much attention to me, and when he did, nothing I did was ever good enough. He wasn't abusive, but he never seemed to have time for me, and it was obvious he was more interested in Captain America than he was in me. I was a child prodigy; I joined the undergraduate program in physics and engineering at MIT when I was fifteen, and it was easy to get Master's degrees in physics and electrical engineering. I didn't really do anything with my life until I was 21, though, and that was when my parents both died in a car crash. I inherited Stark Industries, his company, and made it into a multi-billion dollar industry complex. The company specialized in weaponry for the U.S. government."

Tony paused, and then continued, "I went to Afghanistan to supervise a test for one of the weapons I designed. I was an idiot, and ignored everyone's concerns that the security was insufficient. That idiocy nearly cost me my life."

He sighed, and said, "I tripped on a booby trap, and I got shrapnel lodged in my chest. I was captured, and the leader of my captors offered me a deal. If I built him a new weapon, he would let me go free. I knew he was lying, but I hoped I could gain time and access to tools, so I agreed. They gave me a small lab, and another captive of theirs, Yinsen, became my assistant. He helped me design a suit of electrically powered armor with built-in weaponry. It also had a device that would keep my heart beating. I put the suit on, but I was helpless until it was fully charged. The leader of the revolutionaries obviously realized I was plotting something, and came to attack."

Tony paused again, and Natalie could tell this was painful for him. "Yinsen confronted the guy, giving me enough time to fully charge the suit- but Yinsen died. I couldn't save him, and I realized that he knew he was giving up his life, and he still did that anyways. I avenged his death using the suit, and Iron Man was born. After I escaped, I ended up crashing in the desert, and got rescued by my friend Rhodey."

Sighing, Tony continued, "I redesigned the chest plate of the armor after I returned the U.S., and I still have to wear it. I made it so it could fit under normal clothing. I originally meant to manufacture the suit and sell it, but when I first used it to stop thieves from taking parts, I realized it was too dangerous to be put on the market. After that and the fiasco in Afghanistan, I turned Stark Industries into a different kind of company. Now we make useful technology and work with clean energy, instead of making weapons. The first time I became Iron Man, it was for vengeance, but now…. I guess I'd say I became Iron Man again to atone for past mistakes. You were right yesterday, though; I never tried to heal. I never went to anyone to ask for help, either with PTSD or alcoholism. There was never anyone I felt that I could let in, and I'm not exactly the type to willingly go to therapy. I've got really severe trust issues, and I'm not comfortable sharing my feelings."

Tony stopped talking, and while Natalie had a feeling she knew the answer, she asked, "So what changed for you?"

Tony looked at her, and said, "You came into my life, and within hours of meeting me, you managed to at least start tearing down the walls I built around myself. You saw through me like it was nothing, which no one besides Bruce has even come close to doing. Everyone else assumes that the personality I have is my real one, but you didn't, and told me straight out that you knew I was faking. And you were right, I can identify with Loki. When I saw how happy he was around you, just because you were there for him and he had someone to listen to him, I started thinking. And then you saved my life, and I decided that if I HAD to get this off my chest, I'd rather have you listen to my story than anyone else. I had a feeling you were the only person who would sit through a story like that without crying, interrupting me, or walking out. And it looks like I was right."

Natalie smiled. "I'm glad you felt you could trust me," she said. "The only way you'll recover is if you don't hold everything in. This was a great first step for you."

"Glad you think so," Tony said. "And thanks."

"Anytime, Tony," Natalie said.

"Ready to rejoin the others?" Tony asked.

"Sure," Natalie said. "I hope Loki isn't the jealous type; I've been spending way more time with you than him lately."

"I wouldn't peg him as the jealous type," Tony said, leading the way out of the lab. They found the others in the living room, and Loki and Steve were playing with Evergreen while Bruce, Natasha, and Clint were reading. They all looked up as Tony and Natalie came in, and Loki said, "You've been gone for three hours; did you get things settled?"

"Working on it," Tony said.

Loki lifted an eyebrow, and then seemingly remembered something. "Has Natalie told you what we are getting Thor for his birthday?" he asked.

"YOU'RE getting a present for THOR?" Clint asked incredulously. "I thought you didn't like him."

"I am not as fond of him as he seems to be of me, but I do not dislike Thor," Loki said. "Besides, this gift is not exactly the sentimental type."

"What are you getting him then?" Tony asked.

"We're getting him a hot pink leash for Mjolnir!" Natalie chirped cheerfully. "See, we noticed he treats that hammer kind of like a favorite pet or toy, so we thought since he can't seem to let go of it, that we would get a leash for it."

Tony and Clint were in hysterics, and the others were all showing at least some sign of amusement. "A LEASH?" Tony gasped. "That's priceless! I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

"It should be quite amusing," Loki agreed. "It's a pity his birthday isn't till next month."

"I still find it amusing that YOUR birthday is April Fools' Day," Tony said.

"What is April Fools' Day?" Loki asked.

"The first of April is April Fools' Day," Natalie said. "It's a pranking holiday. When I still lived with my parents, my brother and I would prank our parents. You should have heard my mom scream when Kevin dropped a plastic snake on her at five AM."

"You enjoy pranks?" Loki asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yup," Natalie said. "My parents set pretty strict limits after the bungee cord incident, though."

"This I need to hear," Tony said.

"Kevin decided that he wanted to try bungee jumping off the roof of our house," Natalie said. "I talked him out of it, but that put an idea in our heads, and we decided we'd scare our parents. So we made this really realistic life-sized doll of Kevin, and waited till my mom was in the kitchen. Kevin's window is right above the kitchen window, and so we got a bungee cord, tied it to the doll's ankle, and started dangling the doll out of Kevin's window. The movement must have caught our mom's eye, because about two minutes later, we heard her screaming bloody murder. We locked her out of Kevin's room, but she picked the lock, and when she found out Kevin and I had set up the whole thing to scare the living daylights out of her, she blew her top. We got lectured for HOURS, and when Dad came home, he lectured us too. Needless to say, our pranks got limited to April Fools' Day only after that, and we both got grounded for a month. It was still fun while it lasted."

"Did you have a name for that plot?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, it was 'Operation Give Mom a Heart Attack'," Natalie said.

"I would have liked to see the look on your mother's face," Loki said thoughtfully.

"It was pretty hilarious," Natalie said. "Or are you just looking for blackmail material on my mom?"

"Now whatever would give you that idea?" Loki asked innocently. You could almost SEE the halo over his head.

"You think she's going to feed you to something, so I figured you wanted a way to blackmail her," Natalie said, smirking.

"I am still not sure why she insists on fattening me up if she is NOT planning on feeding me to something," Loki said. "Isn't that normally why people are 'fattened up'?"

"I can't think of anything my mom would feed you to," Natalie said dryly. "And before you say anything, I highly doubt it's Lucky. She mainly eats fish and meat."

"Who's Lucky?" Tony asked.

"My cat," Natalie said. "Although now she's my brother's cat, since I don't live there anymore."

"I did not think it was Lucky," Loki said somewhat defensively. "I am simply pointing out that your mother has an unhealthy fascination with fattening people up."

"Actually it's just you she does that to," Natalie said as Tony and Clint fell to the floor laughing their heads off.

Loki glared at Tony and Clint and asked, "May I ask what is so amusing?"

"You!" Tony snickered. "You seriously believe Natalie's mother is going to feed you to something?"

"That was the main reason people were fattened up on Asgard," Loki said. "I cannot think of any other reason one would need to be fat."

"It doesn't necessarily mean becoming fat; it usually means that the person who needs fattening up is too thin- which perfectly describes you when you first met me," Natalie explained. "Just as it's unhealthy to be too fat, it's also unhealthy to be too thin. I'm sure now that you've filled out a bit more, Mom will stop."

"I hope so," Loki said. "Can we go home? I am tired of these two laughing at me."

"Alright," Natalie said with a smile. "We'll leave them to calm down."

Loki smiled back, and took her hand. The next thing she knew, she was in their kitchen, and Loki was looking at her hopefully. "You ate the rest of the chocolate last night, remember?" Natalie asked.

Loki got this look of utter and complete horror on his face, and Natalie barely kept from snickering when he ran to the cabinet where she kept the chocolate. After flinging it open, he saw that she had been joking, turned, and said, "That was cruel, Natalie."

Natalie just burst out laughing.

 **Sorry for the delay, and I hope everyone enjoyed this and the last chapter.**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twelve: The Offer**

Late that night, Natalie was woken by Loki, who was apparently having a nightmare, if his shaking was anything to go by. Natalie was worried; it had been a while since the last time he had had any nightmares, and she gently woke him up as she turned on the light. Unlike the last time, he recognized her almost immediately, and Natalie asked, "Was it the torture nightmare again?"

Loki shook his head. He had told Natalie a little about his time with the Chitauri and the torture he went through, but it was still painful and hard for him to talk about, even with Natalie. "This was different," he said. "I was in Asgard, and I was five years old again. It was more of a memory than a nightmare, but Odin was beating me again, this time in front of Thor and our mother. And they did nothing to stop him. Frigga at least looked uncomfortable, but she did not stop Odin, either, not even when he broke my arm."

Natalie was horrified, but she kept that feeling off her face as she asked, "Was that the first time he beat you?"

"No," Loki said. "I cannot specifically remember the first time he hit me, but I believe I was three years old at the time."

Only her training and sheer force of will kept Natalie from bursting into tears. Instead, she pulled Loki into her arms. "I am so sorry you had to go through that, Loki," she said softly.

Loki hugged back, but Natalie sensed his hesitation in doing so, and asked, "What's on your mind, besides the nightmare?"

"Natalie, do you pity me?" Loki asked.

Natalie pulled back and looked at him, thinking. Finally she said, "The only emotions I feel for you are love and a burning desire to help and protect you. While I'm sorry you had to go through so much pain, I don't really think of my feelings towards you as pity. I know that most people don't enjoy being pitied, and I think you'd hate it if I pitied you. It would most likely give you the idea that I believe you're weak, and I don't want you to think that, because you're the strongest person I know."

"You believe I am strong?" Loki asked.

"Of course," Natalie said. "You're very strong. If you weren't, you wouldn't be able to recover the way you are now. I want you to remember that, okay?"

"I will try," Loki said softly, and then yawned.

Natalie smiled. "Let's go back to sleep," she said. They curled up together, and fell back to sleep.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie went to her TA job after breakfast, and got through the morning with little trouble. She had another class to help with after lunch, and then she could go home. On her way home, though, she got a call from Tony and asked, "What's up, Tony?"

" _Are you home yet?"_ Tony asked.

"Almost, why?" Natalie asked.

" _When you get home, put something nice on and come over here,"_ Tony said, and hung up before she could say anything.

 _Odd,_ Natalie thought as she walked into her apartment. Loki apparently wasn't home, so she guessed he was with Tony. She went to her closet and pulled out a sky blue cocktail dress that she almost never wore, but kept around anyways. She took a quick shower and put on a pair of skin-tone tights and the dress, then braided her hair out of her face and tied it off. Finishing her look with a sapphire pendant, she picked out the sky blue flats that went with the dress, grabbed her purse, and left again. She walked to Stark Tower, still puzzled about what Tony might want, and why he had told her to dress up.

When she reached the living room after being let in, she found Tony and Loki on the sofa. Tony was wearing a semi-formal suit, and Loki appeared to be sulking. They looked up as Natalie walked in, and she blushed when Loki looked awestruck and Tony whistled. "So, what's going on?" she asked. "And Loki, why were you sulking?"

"Tony is apparently taking you out for dinner and I am not coming," Loki said. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Anything else I need to know?"

"I was banished to the lab while Tony had a talk with the other Avengers, but I do not know what that was about," Loki replied. "I still do not understand why I cannot come with you."

"You'll find out," Tony said. "You do look beautiful, Natalie."

"Thank you," Natalie said. "Where are we going?"

"Ristorante Morini," Tony said. "Loki informed me you like Italian food, so I figured that would be a good choice. It's a bit of a step up from the restaurant Loki told me about, which is why I had you dress up a bit."

"Is this fancy enough?" Natalie asked, tugging at the hem of her dress.

"It'll be fine," Tony said. "Come on, I called a car to take us there."

"Alright," Natalie said, still a bit hesitant. She looked at Loki, and said, "See you later, Loki."

"Sayonara," Loki said, smirking a bit.

Natalie grinned at him. Tony looked confused, and Loki said, "Natalie is attempting to turn me into an otaku. It seems to be working."

"You mean those people in costumes?" Tony asked.

"It's called cosplay, and not all otaku are like that," Natalie said. "I don't always do cosplay, but my brother does."

"Okay then," Tony said. "Let's go, you can tell me what your brother does on the way."

Natalie giggled and followed him out of the tower. She was shocked to see a limo waiting for them, and looked at Tony, who motioned for her to get in. She did so, and Tony got in as well. The chauffeur drove off, and Tony asked, "So what does your brother dress up as?"

"He's gone to Comic Con every year since he was five, and he goes as someone different every time," Natalie said. "He's gone as several different anime characters, but last year he got into superheroes."

"Do I even want to know who he went as?" Tony asked.

"He went as Captain America, but after Comic Con was over, he said the funniest thing," Natalie said. "He said, "What do these guys see in all that Spandex? It's kinda creepy, actually."

Tony started laughing. "So who's he going as this year?" he asked.

"Take a guess," Natalie said, smirking.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Tony said.

"Nope," Natalie said. "My brother Kevin is going to Comic Con as Iron Man. I believe he's already started working on his costume."

"He's trying to remake the suit? How?" Tony asked.

"Cardboard and metallic paint," Natalie said. "Kevin likes art, so it's perfect for him."

Tony looked slightly disappointed, and Natalie, guessing the reason, said, "Kevin would rather do it in metal, but when he suggested that to our mom, she went into a rant about how dangerously unsafe it would be, and I think I heard something about, 'you're going to burn your face off', too."

Tony snickered as the car stopped and the chauffeur opened the doors. Tony got out and extended his hand to Natalie, who took it and got out as well. She waited as Tony tipped the chauffeur, and then they went into the restaurant. "Have you come here before?" Natalie asked as they went in.

"Yeah, I've been to a few business meetings, and I took Pepper here for her birthday one year," Tony said. "They have really great wines here, and the food's amazing."

"You're not going to overdo it, right?" Natalie asked.

"No, I'm not," Tony said. "I learned my lesson, so I won't overdo it."

The hostess came over to them as they arrived, and asked, "Table for two, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, thanks," Tony said.

"Right this way," the woman said, leading them to a table near the windows. She set their menus out and said, "Your server will be right with you. Enjoy!"

"Thanks," Natalie said. She and Tony sat down, and Tony asked, "Why did you seem nervous when I mentioned wine?"

Natalie sighed. "I'm sure you noticed I was pretty collected and in control that day you got alcohol poisoning, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tony said. "I was surprised you weren't yelling at me."

"The whole thing was an act," Natalie said flatly. "I was _terrified,_ Tony. Calling 911, telling Bruce and Steve that I would handle things, telling the doctors everything I knew- I did that all on autopilot, and I was only able to keep my cool because of the training I've gone through to remain calm in any situation. The four hours I spent in the ER waiting room? I didn't even notice how long I was in there; I was too busy wondering whether this was my fault, wondering whether you'd survive, and thinking back to my cousin's funeral. When I went into your room that morning, and found you like that, for a split second I saw my cousin. They did an open coffin thing before the actual funeral, so people could say goodbye. I saw what Andrew looked like, and you looked exactly like that when I found you. It took all my self-control that day to keep from breaking down again, and when I got home that night…. well, let's just say that's the first time Loki's seen me crying. You scared me half to death, because I've seen one too many people drink themselves to death, and part of me wondered if what I told you the night before had caused that. The main reason I _wasn't_ yelling at you was because of my training. I knew it wouldn't help if I got upset; the only way I could see that would get you to listen was staying calm and collected, and I knew me getting hysterical or angry wouldn't do you any good. You have no idea how relieved I was when the doctors told me you'd be fine."

Tony was looking at her, shocked by her admission, and finally said, "I'm sorry. I've never had a friend who cares this much, though. I guess I'm not really used to people caring about me or panicking over what I do, so I don't think about it. I'm sorry for scaring you."

"I can't say it's fine, but thanks for apologizing," Natalie said, as a man came over with a pitcher of water, and filled both their glasses. "Can I start you off with something to drink?" he asked.

"Do you have root beer?" Natalie asked.

"Yes, of course," the man said, though he looked slightly surprised.

"I'd like that then," Natalie said. She noticed Tony looking at the wine list, and he said, "I'll have a glass of the Chianti, please."

"I'll have those right out," the man said, and left. Natalie looked at her menu, and Tony asked, "Would you like to share an appetizer?"

"What did you have in mind?" Natalie asked.

"They have a nice calamari dish here," Tony said.

"Sounds good, I've only had calamari once, but I remember liking it," Natalie said.

"Alright, and what do you want for the main course?" Tony asked.

"Their Spaghettini looks good," Natalie said. "I like seafood, but I don't get it very often. What are you getting?"

"Agnello," Tony said. Seeing her puzzled look, he said, "It's their version of lamb chops."

"Oh," Natalie said. She looked up as the waiter came back with their drinks, and he asked, "Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?"

"I think we're ready to order," Tony said. "Can we get an order of the calamari to start with?"

"Sure, and for the main course?" the man asked, writing that down.

Tony looked at Natalie, who said, "I'd like the Spaghettini, please."

"And for you?" the waiter asked Tony.

"Agnello, please," Tony said.

"Very good, I'll have those out to you soon," the waiter said, and left.

"So you mentioned you've done training to control your emotions," Tony commented after a minute. "Is that required to be a therapist?"

"No, but I've always been very emotional, and I needed to learn to keep my emotions in check before I could even think about getting into the psychology program," Natalie said. "When I first decided that I wanted to go into psychology, I was twelve. I'd been very emotional since I was little, and when I learned that therapists really aren't supposed to cry when their clients told them something sad, I decided I needed a way to make sure I wouldn't have that problem. My parents tried to tell me that I could just choose a different career, but as I told you before, I wanted that career more than anything. So I started looking for a way to center myself first, and found that apparently martial arts are good for centering yourself. I started taking lessons in both karate and Tae Kwon Do. I'd been doing gymnastics basically since I could walk, too. I found that martial arts actually do help calm your emotions, and soon enough I was able to control my emotions much more easily. I kept going, though, and eventually I became a black belt in karate and Tae Kwon Do. I still practice when I have the time, along with my gymnastics skills, but after a while my psych studies became top priority for me. My classmates are under the impression that I'm some kind of prodigy, but I got where I am through hard work and lots of studying. I'm the top of every class I currently take, and I've gotten a lot of good recommendations for when I graduate. I actually had two job offers before I hit my last year, but I turned them down because they were too far away from my family. I don't particularly want to leave New York City, at least until Kevin is done with high school, and maybe not even then. I love it here. By the way, why do you look relieved?"

"You wanted to know why I was taking you out, right?" Tony asked, seemingly ignoring the question.

"Yes," Natalie said.

"My main reason was that I wanted to thank you for saving me, and helping me," Tony said. "But Steve had an idea, which involves you, and I got elected to tell you about it, since I apparently have the best relationship with you. The others all agree to this idea, and I have to admit it's pretty good, as Steve's ideas go."

"What was the idea?" Natalie asked, curious.

"Steve pointed out that all of us on the team have bad pasts in one way or another," Tony said. "And he also pointed out that you're the only person who has ever come into our lives and actually tried to help us through our issues. Mainly me and Loki, even though Loki's technically not on the team, but still. You've helped all of us in one way or another. So Steve proposed- and the rest of us agreed with this- that we offer you a job when you're fully certified."

"What would this entail?" Natalie asked, surprised.

"You'd basically be the team therapist, and we'd be your clients," Tony said. "Loki said something about you wanting to join a clinic; you could still do that if you decided to take our offer, it would just be part-time for both. Steve is currently talking to Fury, that guy you threatened to castrate, about this, since we're technically part of SHIELD, and if you took the job, it would be SHIELD paying you, not me. Steve's apparently pretty confident Fury's going to like this idea, since I'll be honest, we're pretty messed up. I'm not asking for a decision right now, but I'd like you to think this over, maybe talk with Loki and your family about it, and get back to me when you make a decision."

"Do you know if I'd be asked to see other agents from SHIELD?" Natalie asked. "I don't mind, but I'm just curious."

"I don't think so," Tony said. "They do have other therapists around, and medical officials, and people like that, but Fury's problem with us is that we've all refused to go into some office and talk to people we don't know about our problems, confidentiality laws or not. We all hate hospitals, and we don't talk to just anyone. That's why Steve and the rest of us thought that since you're always at my tower anyways, it would be a good idea to offer this opportunity to you."

"I'll definitely think it over," Natalie said. "I think it's a good idea, but I should think it over."

"Completely understandable," Tony said.

The waiter arrived with their food, and they paused to thank him. After he left, Tony said, "So, are you planning on marrying Loki?"

Natalie squeaked. "We've barely known each other a month, I'm not even sure he'd be interested!" she said. "What brought this on?"

"You two are really close, I just thought I'd ask," Tony said innocently. "Besides, Frigga gave him rings for the two of you."

Natalie was bright red as she looked away and started eating. Finally she said, "I guess I haven't really thought about that yet. The problem I'm having with that is knowing that Loki is immortal, and I'm not. That's a big thing to think about if we both decide we want to take the next step at some point."

"I'm sure you'll work something out," Tony said. "But we can talk about something else if you want."

"What did you have in mind?" Natalie asked.

"What are your classes like?" Tony asked.

"They're difficult, but it's still fun," Natalie said. "My professors are really supportive, and they do a good job with their teaching methods. The funny thing for me is that everyone thinks I'm some kind of prodigy, since I'm the top of every class I'm currently taking. I'm smart, but the main reason I got this far is because I take my studies really seriously. When I first started out, I almost never went out with friends, and the only times I really hung out with people were study sessions. I loosened up after a while, but I still work really hard to stay at the top. The only class I barely had to work at to understand was the psychoanalysis class I took- which is ironic, because that's supposedly the hardest course in the program. As for the other classes, I enjoy challenging myself, and as I'm sure you're aware, I'm very motivated to get this right. My final exam, which will determine whether or not I get the certificate I need to practice, is in three weeks."

"That's coming up fast then," Tony commented. "What are your professors like?"

"I'm down to three classes a week, since I've passed all the others with flying colors," Natalie said. "So I have two professors, since Professor Chen teaches two of my classes. All my classmates, and my friends, are older than me. My professors don't acknowledge that I'm the youngest; they treat me like any other student, and I'm grateful for that. Some of my previous professors were kind of doubtful I'd be able to get the degree I wanted in such a short amount of time, but I proved them wrong. The professor who teaches my third class, Professor Markel, is really nice, and she likes me a lot. She actually called me in the day after you were in the hospital about the news report."

"News report?" Tony asked.

"You didn't know?" Natalie asked. "My mom called and said that the speech I gave you made the evening news. Professor Markel called me in to tell me that she and all my other professors were really proud of me. I was totally embarrassed, but I guess it's the thought that counts."

"Oh jeez, I forgot about that," Tony said. "Natasha saw it and told the rest of us."

"My friends were very curious about it," Natalie said gloomily. "I managed to distract them with Loki's irrational fear that my mother is plotting to feed him to something, and they haven't asked about you since."

"Do you have a lot of friends?" Tony asked.

"I have three, and I call them the Giggle Sisters," Natalie said. "Amelia and Marie are really into celebrities, but Katie's not, luckily. Katie's more into fantasy books than the real world."

"Your friends aren't fan girls, are they?" Tony asked warily.

"Amelia and Marie are sometimes," Natalie admitted. "I have no intention of having you meet them, though, so don't worry about it. Also, Marie is a lesbian, and she tends to keep her fan girl side to famous women. Katie's getting married soon; I'm really happy for her. My friends are nice to have, even though they're all in their thirties, and I'm only twenty-two."

"Is it hard having no one your age?" Tony asked. They had finished eating.

"Not really," Natalie said thoughtfully. "What's hard is the fact that I don't have anyone among my peers who I can go to for help with schoolwork. Being the top of the class does have its downsides, but luckily I don't usually need help."

"I'm kind of surprised you're getting such a high degree after only six years," Tony commented. "Doesn't it usually take longer?"

"I got my Bachelor's degree in two years rather than four, and skipped the Associate's degree," Natalie explained. "That's part of why I'm considered a prodigy; I'm young and I'm already almost to my Doctor of Psychology degree. If I pass the final exams, I'll have a ton of job opportunities besides what you suggested."

"How do you think you'll do on the exams?" Tony asked.

"Provided I get enough study time, I think I'll get a good grade," Natalie said. "I'm hoping for full marks, but only time will tell what I get, I suppose. We've got the whole weekend off before exams week, and I plan to spend it studying- not that I won't study before that, but it's good to revise and look things over."

"Sounds like you've got everything covered," Tony said. "When's exams week?"

"May 2nd through May 6th," Natalie replied. "Why?"

"So I know when not to bug you," Tony said with a grin. "When's graduation set for?"

"May 15th is the date they set for the doctoral candidates," Natalie said. "My grandparents on my mom's side are coming from Georgia for the weekend; it'll be good to see them. I'm picking up the tickets on April 30th, which reminds me, I need to fill out a form to get tickets for Loki and my grandparents, since they only give you enough for three guests, and they make six."

Tony appeared to be thinking, and then asked, "Would you mind if I came?"

"I don't mind," Natalie said, startled. "Any particular reason?"

"You're my friend, why wouldn't I want to come to your graduation?" Tony asked.

Natalie smiled. "I'll ask for four extra tickets, then," she said happily.

Tony smiled as the waiter came back, and asked, "Do you want dessert tonight?"

"I think I'm good," Tony said. "Natalie?"

"Same here," Natalie said. "Besides, if we leave Loki alone too long, you'll run out of chocolate in short order."

Tony chuckled and told the waiter, "I'd like the bill then."

"Of course," the waiter said. He left, and came back with the bill. Tony got out his wallet and took out his credit card, then signed the bill and left it out with a large tip. The waiter came back and took it. Five minutes later, he was back, and he said, "Thank you, and have a nice night."

"Same to you," Natalie said. The waiter smiled and left. Natalie got her purse and got up, followed by Tony, who led the way to the door. They hailed a cab, and went back to Stark Tower.

To their surprise, Steve seemed to be the only one there, and he looked up as they came in. "Clint and Loki are fighting," he said.

"What happened?" Natalie asked, worried.

"They had a dispute over something that I think was a chocolate bar, and I dragged them to the training room," Steve said. "I also talked with Fury."

"How'd it go?" Tony asked. "Natalie's agreed to think the idea over."

"Fury said, and I quote, "If it helps you lot, I'm all for it." Apparently he's sick of hearing complaints from the other agents who he actually succeeds in forcing into therapy. They're jealous that he doesn't do that to us."

"Cool," Tony said. "I guess we'd better go stop Reindeer Games and Legolas."

"Good luck," Steve said dryly, and went back to playing with Evergreen.

Tony sighed and led the way to the training room, where they found Loki and Clint beating each other up while rolling around on the floor. Natalie exchanged a glance with Tony, and suggested, "You get Clint and I get Loki?"

Tony nodded, and they walked over to the pair. Clint was currently on top, and Tony reached down, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him off of Loki, while Natalie held Loki back from going after Clint. "So why are you two acting like this?" she asked sternly.

"Barton was under the mistaken impression that I would not mind if he took half my chocolate stash," Loki said.

"It wasn't YOURS, it was in Tony's pantry!" Clint said indignantly. "So technically, it's free chocolate!"

"So let me get this straight," Natalie said in a sweet tone of voice that caused the guys to wince. "You two were having a fight over CHOCOLATE!?"

"Yes," Loki said.

"And you couldn't wait till I came back so I could take you home and you could eat mine?" Natalie asked.

"The chocolate was begging to be eaten," Loki replied.

Tony snorted as Natalie asked, "Who started this?"

"Barton, I was in the kitchen eating chocolate and he stole some from me," Loki said.

Natalie looked at Clint, who looked disgruntled, and asked, "Do you deny this, Clint?"

"No…. but he had basically all the chocolate in the house!" Clint said defensively.

"You could have asked him to share," Natalie said reasonably. "Sharing is caring, you know."

"What makes you think I care about HIM!?" Loki and Clint asked at the same time.

Natalie sighed as Tony started laughing. "Clint, I want you to apologize to Loki for trying to steal his food," she said. "And then you two are going to shake hands and stop fighting, got it?"

"I do not want to shake hands with him," Loki said grouchily.

"Would you prefer the couch tonight?" Natalie asked.

"Oh, very well, but he has to apologize first," Loki groused.

"Wow, she's got you wrapped around her finger," Tony commented.

The others chose to ignore him as Natalie said, "Clint, what do you say to Loki?"

Clint sighed and said, "I'm sorry I tried to steal your food, Loki."

"Apology accepted," Loki said, and they shook hands. Loki came over to Natalie, and asked, "How was your dinner?"

"I had a really nice time," Natalie said.

"Why was I not allowed to come?" Loki asked.

"Tony had an offer for me, and I'm guessing he wanted to talk to me alone," Natalie said.

"What was the offer?" Loki asked.

"To see if I wanted to work for the Avengers as the team therapist after I graduate," Natalie said. "I'm considering it, and I think I'll talk to my parents as well."

"Just make sure they know they can't tell anyone about this," Tony said. "It could put them in danger."

"I understand," Natalie said. "I think I'll see if I can call a family meeting this weekend, and ask them what they think. I should get home. Tony, thank you for dinner, and I'll be sure to get you a ticket."

"Great," Tony said. "I'm glad you had a good time."

Natalie smiled, and she and Loki left.

As soon as they got home, Natalie called her mother, and when she picked up, said, "Mom, I'd like to talk with you and Dad in person; can I come over on Saturday?"

" _What's going on?"_ Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"I got an offer I'd like to talk to you and Dad about- and can you make sure Kevin's either watching anime or not in the house? It's kind of a sensitive topic," Natalie said.

" _Alright, your brother is taking a girl named Hanna out on Saturday at noon; come over then,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"I'll let your father know. Is Loki coming?"_

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped trying to fatten him up, because he's now convinced you're plotting to feed him to something," Natalie said dryly.

" _Oh, fine,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"See you Saturday."_

"Bye," Natalie said, and hung up.

 **More tomorrow; please let me know what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Thirteen: Graduation and the Decision**

 _ **Saturday morning:**_ Natalie and Loki headed off to her parents' house, and got there a little after noon. Her father opened the door, and said, "Come in; Kevin left a while ago."

Natalie and Loki went in, and they went to the living room, where Mrs. McKenzie was waiting. "So what's the news?" she asked as they settled down.

"First I need to tell you that this is a secret," Natalie said. "It's very important that you don't tell anyone, especially Kevin, and I'll explain why him in a minute. I need you both to understand that I got special permission to discuss this with you, and it's imperative that you don't tell anyone."

Her parents exchanged a glance, and finally her father said, "Alright; if it's that serious, we won't tell anyone. Now, why can't we tell your brother?"

"I have a new job offer," Natalie said. "It's a bit unusual, but I've been thinking, and since it wouldn't completely interfere with me also joining a clinic, I think I want to do it. You've heard of the Avengers, right?"

"They're well known, yes," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"The Avengers Initiative, which is a branch of SHIELD, has offered me a position as their team therapist," Natalie said. "After I get my degree, I would basically join their team- just not in fighting."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why did they choose you?" Mr. McKenzie asked. "There are several therapists who deal with government agents."

"They chose me because they know me," Natalie said. "They all have trust issues, and they wouldn't go to just anyone to talk about their problems. I've apparently proven myself to be enough of a friend that they're willing to talk to me."

"Is there some reason we didn't know about this?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"Technically, you did know," Natalie said. "Remember when I came home last time? And Tony Stark came over?"

"Yes…" Mrs. McKenzie said slowly.

"Tony knew all that information we told you about the attack on New York because he is actually Iron Man," Natalie said.

Her parents both facepalmed, and Mrs. McKenzie said, "I can't believe we forgot about that…."

Natalie continued, "NOW do you understand the secrecy? If it gets out that I'm involved with them, it will put me in danger. They want to keep it a secret because I can't fight the way they do. And if Kevin knew, you KNOW he'd start bragging, which is why you can't tell him."

"Do you really want this job?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"I've thought it over, and decided that it's a good idea," Natalie said. "I really want to do this, and I hope you'll support my decision."

"Of course we will," Mrs. McKenzie said. "If that's really what you want, we'll support you all the way, and we won't tell anyone what you've told us today. And as you said to your father the last time you were here, you're a grown woman now. Far be it for us to try to stop you from living your life. The only thing we want is for you to be happy and safe."

"Thanks Mom," Natalie said. "On another note, I ordered tickets for Grandma and Grandpa. And Loki and Tony want to come too, so I got tickets for them too. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, it's sweet that they want to support you," Mrs. McKenzie said. "I see you've been doing a good job of feeding Loki."

"Mrs. McKenzie, are you plotting to feed me to something?" Loki asked suspiciously. "Because if so, I may stop coming here. I do not want to be fed to something."

"Of course I'm not planning on feeding you to something," Mrs. McKenzie said, confused. "I just want you to be healthy. The last time you were here I could almost see your ribs."

"Then will you stop talking about fattening me up?" Loki asked. "It makes me uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry, Loki," Mrs. McKenzie said. "I'll stop."

"So I take it the dragon in the basement is going to have to survive on steak?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"Not funny, Dad," Natalie said dryly as Loki started looking concerned. "And I happen to know you do not have a dragon in the basement- unless you mean the toy thing Kevin had when he was seven. And we're going home now, before you scare Loki. Thanks for listening, and don't tell anyone."

"We won't," Mrs. McKenzie said. Natalie grabbed her purse and Loki, and left.

 **~XXXX~**

The next few weeks were uneventful. Natalie was busy with studying, and finally it was exams week. She had four exams; one for each of her three classes, and then one that would determine if she got her certificate to practice. By the time the week was done, Natalie was exhausted. The exams had been difficult, but she was pretty confident she had done well. The grades would be up the following Monday, and she was both excited and nervous.

 _ **Monday morning:**_ Natalie got up and after showering and dressing, she went to the NYU website and logged in. Loki wasn't home; he had spent the night at Tony's, working on some project with Tony and Bruce. Natalie looked up her grades, and her eyes widened. Then she grinned happily. She had gotten full marks on the class exams, and on the last exam, she had gotten ABOVE full marks. She got up, and put shoes on, then grabbed her purse and ran to Stark Tower. JARVIS let her in, and she practically skipped into the kitchen, where everyone was eating breakfast. "What's with the ear-to-ear grin?" Steve asked.

"My grades came in this morning," Natalie said happily. "I passed everything with flying colors, and that means I'll finally get my degree!" She was practically bouncing with joy, and the others all smiled. "Congrats," Tony said happily. "How does it feel?"

"It feels great," Natalie said. "I finally achieved step one of my goal, and I really couldn't be happier- which reminds me, I should call my parents and let them know the good news."

Loki came over to her, and she looked up at him quizzically. "I am proud of you, Natalie," he said, smiling. Then he kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing back. When they broke it off, they heard clapping, and turned to see the Avengers clapping. Natalie blushed, but she was smiling. She looked back at Loki, and commented, "That's a first."

"You two have never kissed before?" Tony asked incredulously.

"That's not it, it's just that usually I'm the one to kiss him," Natalie said.

Loki turned slightly pink when Tony snickered.

"I think I'll go call my parents," Natalie said happily. She took her cell phone into the living room, and called her home number. When her mother picked up, she immediately said, "Mom, I got full marks on three exams and above full marks on the fourth!"

" _That's wonderful, sweetie!"_ Mrs. McKenzie said happily. _"I'm so proud of you, and I'm sure your father will be too when I tell him. How does being done feel?"_

"It feels awesome," Natalie said. "I have to pick up my cap and gown tomorrow, and I'll get the tickets to you soon."

" _Great!"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"I look forward to it. See you soon!"_

"Yup, bye Mom," Natalie said happily, and hung up. Then she went back to the kitchen, still smiling.

 **~XXXX~ Time Skip to the day of the Doctoral Convocation ~XXXX~**

Natalie waited with the other doctorate candidates, all of whom were several years older than her. Unfortunately, her friend Marie hadn't gotten the necessary grades to come, but Amelia and Katie had. Katie came up to her as they were about to go to their seats, and asked, "So, how's it feel to be the youngest Doctor of Psychology in ten years?"

"You have no idea how happy I am," Natalie said. "I worked really hard, and I'm finally graduating."

Amelia came up too, and asked, "Natalie, there's a rumor going around that Tony Stark is here."

Natalie smiled sheepishly. "He asked me for a ticket," she admitted. "Loki's here too, and my parents, Kevin, and my grandparents made it too."

"Wow…." Amelia said. "Sounds like it's starting."

The doctoral candidates filed out, and found their seats. The auditorium was packed to the rafters with their families and friends, all of whom were cheering. After a while, the cheering died down, and the Dean made a speech, followed by the President and the Doctoral Student Speaker. Natalie waited as her fellow candidates were called up, clapping as each one was hooded by their dissertation chair and given a torch pin.

Finally- "Natalie McKenzie!"

Natalie walked up to the stage, and was surprised when after being hooded by the chair, who had been one of her professors, the woman said, "Natalie, I am so proud of you."

"Thank you," Natalie said. "I really appreciate that." She walked offstage, and went back to her seat, waiting for the ceremony to be over.

Finally the ceremony ended, and a loud cheer went up from everyone. Natalie and the other new doctors walked out, waving at the stands, and went outside to wait for their families and friends. Amelia and Katie came up to Natalie, and they hugged. "I hope we can keep in touch," Amelia said. "Good luck, both of you."

"Thanks, and same to you," Natalie said. "I'm going to go find my family; are yours here?"

"Yep, and my fiancée got the day off work," Katie said. "I'm heading out too." She hugged Natalie and Amelia, and left. Natalie and Amelia looked at each other, hugged, and parted ways.

Natalie wandered around until she spotted her family and Tony, and went over. "Natalie!" her mom cried. "That was so amazing, we are so proud of you!"

"Thanks Mom," Natalie said with a grin, hugging back as her parents and Kevin hugged her together. When they broke it off, her grandparents hugged her too. Loki hugged and kissed her, and they broke it off when Tony said, "I don't get a hug?"

"Of course you get a hug, Tony," Natalie said, giggling as she hugged him. He hugged her back, and when they broke apart, said, "I convinced your family to let me take all of you out for dinner to celebrate. The others will be there too."

"You have that 'I'm so innocent I might as well be an angel' look on your face," Natalie said, smiling. "You didn't blackmail them, did you?"

"Actually he did," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Why is Kevin looking sulky?" Natalie asked.

"I could have gotten a welder if it wasn't for Mom and Dad," Kevin said sulkily. "And THEN they told Tony he'd regret it if he gave one to you to give to me!"

"Why do you want a welder?" Natalie asked, puzzled. "Sheets of metal are expensive."

"I could totally make the best Iron Man costume if I had something to use besides cardboard!" Kevin said.

"You'd set off the alarms at Comic Con," Natalie commented.

"Oh, fine," Kevin said sulkily. "I'll stick with the cardboard- for now."

"Until you get over the pyromaniac phase, you will not be allowed near fire," Mr. McKenzie said.

"Let's get going, the others are going to meet us at the restaurant," Tony said. He flinched when Mrs. McKenzie gave him the 'Mom Look' and asked defensively, "How was I supposed to know your son was a pyromaniac?"

"Never mind, let's just go," Mr. McKenzie said wearily. "Natalie, we took two cars, so you, your brother, and Loki are going with Mr. Stark, and we're taking your grandparents."

"Okay," Natalie said. "Where are we going?"

"Mama Rose's," Mrs. McKenzie said. "And I baked a cake for afterwards."

"Great," Natalie said happily. They walked to the parking lot, and split up. Natalie took the front seat of Tony's car, and Loki and Kevin sat in back while Tony drove.

They reached the restaurant about half an hour later, and went in. Steve, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint were there, sitting at a large table that was actually a bunch of tables put together. Natalie went over with Tony, Loki, and her family, and said, "Hi guys, thanks for coming to celebrate with us!"

"Sure Natalie," Bruce said. "You've done so much for us, it's the least we could do."

Natalie smiled and sat down next to Loki. Tony sat on her other side, and Kevin plopped down next to him. The others found seats too, and a waitress came over to start taking drink orders. Natalie was mildly surprised when none of the Avengers, even Tony, got alcoholic drinks. Her father noticed too, and asked, "You don't drink either?"

"We do, but Natalie told us some of her family history, and we decided we'd respect that by not drinking around at least you," Bruce said. "And Tony knows better than to drink any more than a glass of wine around Natalie."

"That's very considerate, thank you," Mr. McKenzie said.

"Sure," Steve said. "We don't drink around Natalie at all anymore, actually. She gets nervous when we mention it."

Natalie's parents looked at her. "Thanks, Steve," she said sarcastically. "My parents did NOT need to know that simply mentioning alcohol now gives me flashbacks."

"What-" Mrs. McKenzie started, but Natalie said, "Forget it, I'll tell you another time. Can we talk about something more pleasant?"

"Nat, are you coming to Comic Con this year?" Kevin asked.

"Of course, you're still too young to go on your own," Natalie said. "Loki might come too. How's the costume coming along?"

"I've got it done, but I'm having trouble finding the right shade of red," Kevin said. "On the bright side, I think I figured out how to make the chest plate glow."

"How?" Natalie said.

"Battery-powered Christmas lights," Kevin said. "It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing. Hey Nat, I just had the best idea!"

"What does it involve?" Natalie asked warily. "It better not be like that skimpy thing you blackmailed me into wearing two years ago."

"This is different," Kevin said. "You should totally go as the Black Widow!"

"If I do that, I'll have every guy ogling me," Natalie said. "Besides, you're going as Iron Man, not Hawkeye."

"Then who are you going to go as?" Kevin asked.

"Riza from Fullmetal Alchemist," Natalie said.

"You did that three years ago," Kevin said.

"I LIKE that costume," Natalie said. "I like her character too."

"You said the main problem is me going as Iron Man, right?" Kevin asked.

"No, the main problem is that I'm going to have guys ogling me if I wear that," Natalie said.

"Well, Loki's going too, right?" Kevin asked.

"It sounds interesting, yes," Loki said.

"So we dress him up as Hawkeye, and problem solved," Kevin said happily.

"No," Loki said. "I refuse to go as Hawkeye."

"Then who are you going as?" Kevin asked.

"Myself," Loki said flatly. "I have no interest in this cosplay."

"Aw," Kevin said. Suddenly it looked like he had an idea, and Natalie groaned. "Kevin, please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking," she said. "I thought we already established that I am not going to the con as the Black Widow."

"Oh come on, it'd be perfect, and Loki wears so much black anyways he wouldn't have to dress differently," Kevin said.

"Can one of you clue the rest of us in to what you're talking about?" Tony asked.

"Kevin once wrote a story about the Black Widow having a twin brother, and they both wore roughly the same thing, and had the same job," Natalie said. "In other words, he wants Loki to play the part of that character while I dress up like the Black Widow."

"What was the character's name?" Natasha asked.

"Peter the Black Panther," Kevin said. "That story was fun to write, but I think it was too based on the character I created, rather than the Black Widow. It got some good reviews on the site I posted it on, though."

"I'd be interested in reading it," Natasha said, eyeing him with curiosity. "What was the title?"

"The Assassin Twins," Kevin replied. "I posted it on a site called fanfiction dot net."

"I'll check it out when I get a chance," Natasha said with a slight smile.

Kevin smiled back happily and asked Natalie, "So what do you think?"

"Loki, do you want to dress in black and wear your boots to the convention?" Natalie asked.

"Very well," Loki said. "I am curious to see what you look like in a costume."

"So Nat, you'll go as the Black Widow?" Kevin asked hopefully.

"Fine…." Natalie said in defeat. "But I blame you if some idiot gropes me. And I am not bringing weapons."

"They don't ALLOW weapons anymore, Nat," Kevin said dryly. "Are you going to dye your hair?"

"I admit that would be a good way to complete the look, but I'm not sure," Natalie said.

"That's decided, then," Kevin said happily.

"So Kevin, what do you plan to do after high school?" Tony asked suddenly.

"I'm going to be a doctor," Kevin said.

"Any specific field?" Tony asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Kevin said. "Nat was my inspiration, though. When she decided she was going to save people, I was six years old. By the time I was old enough to understand what she was talking about, I decided that if she was going to be the one to help people with mental health problems, then I'd be the one she referred her patients to if they needed medical help. We were both inspired mainly by Dad's horror stories about alcoholism, and Nat's been my role model for as long as I can remember. We both decided to dedicate our lives to helping people, and I'm really proud that my big sister is the youngest Doctor of Psychology in ten years."

"That's really sweet of you, Kevin," Natalie said happily. "You're going to be great too, I'm sure of it. Just a warning about college, though- any friends you make will attempt to drag you to bars on your twenty-first birthday."

"I won't let them," Kevin said firmly. "I know how to stand up for myself, and if they want to ruin themselves with alcohol, that's their problem. I still haven't forgotten that contract we made when I was six, you know."

"Contract?" Bruce asked.

"Nat and I typed up a contract when I was six and she was twelve, to give to our dad for his birthday," Kevin said. "It stated that we both agreed to never drink a drop of alcohol as long as we lived, and that we'd never forget the lessons we learned about how dangerous alcohol can be. We both signed it, and we even added our thumbprints in blood, much to Mom's dismay. We gave it to Dad for his birthday, and he was really happy with us."

"Dad told us that day that he had never been more proud of anyone in his entire life," Natalie said.

"It definitely went a long way to ease my fears about my children ending up like others in my family," Mr. McKenzie said. "I admit I was nervous when Natalie went to college, but then she called me one Saturday night. She was nearly in tears because one of her classmates was drunk, and after I walked her through what to do with said classmate, I started thinking. It amazed me that not only did Natalie realize the dangers of drinking and getting drunk, but she was actively avoiding people who behaved that way. I also admit that I do feel guilty for telling my children horror stories, because both of them are now terrified of drinking anything if they don't know what's in it. Even that time my younger sister came over with a bottle of sparkling cider had them running to me. I guess it looked like champagne or something, and I'm starting to regret some of my actions, because now Natalie's traumatized by the mention of alcohol and Kevin's wary of bottles."

"To be fair, my problem isn't totally your fault, Dad," Natalie said.

"Then why are you so afraid of it?" Mr. McKenzie asked. "I thought it was just our family history- and your cousin's funeral."

"It's my fault," Tony said gloomily. "I'm probably the main reason Natalie's so afraid of alcohol and alcohol addictions."

"Is this something that can be talked about when we get home?" Natalie asked. "Mom made a cake, right?"

"Yes, that's fine- but you ARE going to tell us what happened," Mrs. McKenzie said sternly. "Is everyone done eating?"

There was a chorus of agreement, and Tony paid the bill. Then they headed out, back to Natalie's parents' house.

The minute everyone was gathered in the living room, Mrs. McKenzie asked, "So what's the story?"

"I doubt Natalie told you, but like Loki, I have PTSD," Tony said. "I didn't handle it very well, and became an alcoholic. The CEO of my company, who's my assistant as well, contacted Natalie about this, and she agreed to speak with me about it. Unfortunately, the night before she came over, I was drinking again, and I overdid it. Natalie found me with alcohol poisoning, and called 911, then went to the hospital with me, and when I came to, she was there. I'm sure you heard the speech she gave me; it was broadcast on national television. But after she saved my life, I decided I needed to stop drinking altogether. I didn't realize until I took her out to dinner that I really scared her, and I apologized, but it's mainly my fault that she's so afraid of alcohol now."

"We got rid of all Tony's alcohol on Natalie's request, and we don't drink unless we're out somewhere anymore," Natasha said.

Mr. McKenzie sighed. "My older sister's eldest son had a drinking problem when he was old enough to do it legally," he said. "I think he probably inherited it from his mother, because they both drank themselves to death. Andrew, my nephew, was Natalie's favorite cousin, despite the age difference. Before his drinking problem began, he would take her to the playground, or out for ice cream whenever he could. We often asked him to babysit her, and she loved it when he'd come play with her. Andrew came to all her gymnastics performances, and was often the loudest one there, cheering her on. He was like her older brother, and he lived nearby. But then he went to college, and came back with a drinking problem. Natalie was the first to try to talk him out of it, but while he was still careful to be sober around her, he couldn't quit. When he was twenty-seven, he got alcohol poisoning, and his friends didn't get him to the hospital in time. Andrew died when Natalie was eight years old, and she was scarred for life after they did an open coffin thing at the funeral. She was old enough to understand that Andrew wasn't coming back, and from then on, she was absolutely terrified of that happening to someone else. She was five when my older sister died the same way, so it wasn't quite as hard. But Andrew was such a big part of her life that it devastated her when he drank himself to death, and she had nightmares for years. She went to therapy, and that's what really helped her. From then on, she dedicated her life to helping people with their problems, and now she's finally reached her first goal. Mr. Stark, I know that you had no idea what your actions would do to Natalie, but I would be eternally grateful if you tried not to drink around her. I, and the rest of her family, don't want to ever see Natalie in the state she was after Andrew died again. I recognize that my daughter is a grown woman who can make her own choices, but I still worry, just as any good father would. I understand that many people like drinking, and I admit that in moderation it isn't necessarily a bad thing, but especially to Natalie, it's what took her cousin from her, and often during her childhood made me somewhat bitter until I learned to control my emotions better. I have a feeling Natalie will probably run into more alcoholics during her career, but since you seem so close to her, I'd prefer that you weren't one of them."

"I understand, and I quit drinking a while ago," Tony said. "Wasn't easy, but I don't want to ruin a real friendship simply because I can't control myself."

"I believe we should change the subject," Loki said, causing everyone to look at him and Natalie. Both Tony and Mr. McKenzie cringed when they saw that Natalie had her face buried in Loki's shoulder, and was silently crying. Loki was hugging her gently and stroking her hair.

The others were a bit unsure what to do, but then Kevin stood up and went over, kneeling in front of his sister. "Nat?" he asked softly.

Natalie sniffed and looked at him. "I know that we can't bring Andrew back," Kevin said softly. "But you saved Tony. You finally achieved your first goal, and you made sure that what happened to Andrew wouldn't happen to Tony. I know it's hard for you to talk about this, or hear about it, but just remember, Tony's still alive because of you. Because you managed to work through your fears, and used your training to help him. I heard that speech too, and I'm really proud of you. I don't like seeing you sad, though. You're my sister, and I want you to be happy, Nat."

Natalie looked at Kevin for a minute, and then smiled, drying her tears. She reached out, and hugged Kevin, who hugged back as she said, "Thanks Kev. I couldn't ask for a better brother. You're really growing up, you know that?"

"That's entirely your doing," Kevin said. "You're my sister, and I love you, Nat."

"I love you too, Kev," Natalie said. "And I'd stay happy just for you."

"No more crying?" Kevin asked.

"No more crying," Natalie replied with a smile. She looked over his shoulder, then added, "At least, not from me."

Kevin looked, and saw their parents and grandparents in tears, and noticed that the Avengers weren't exactly holding it together either. Loki was the only one who wasn't either outright teary or muttering about allergies while swiping at their eyes. He was simply smiling, and said, "Nice speech, Kevin."

"Thanks Loki," Kevin said with a grin.

"You did a better job than I did when I saw Natalie crying," Loki said.

"What did you do?" Kevin asked.

"He panicked first and then hugged me until I fell asleep," Natalie said with a grin. "I don't think Loki understands crying women."

"I do not understand women, period," Loki said.

That caused everyone to start laughing, and Loki pouted a bit.

"Mom, did you say you made a cake?" Natalie asked when they calmed down.

"Yes, I did," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Yellow cake with ganache."

"As long as there is chocolate, everyone should be happy," Natalie said. "Especially Loki and Clint."

"Clint is a chocoholic too?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"I am not," Clint said. "Natalie just thinks that because Loki and I had a fight over some chocolate that he was hoarding. I like chocolate, but not to the degree Loki seems to."

"I cannot help having a sweet tooth," Loki said disgruntledly.

Natalie giggled. "Your obsession is cute," she said. "Even if it is kind of strange. I don't think I've ever met anyone who can eat that much chocolate and not get sick of it, or at least switch to something else for a while."

"I'll go get cake," Mrs. McKenzie said before Loki could respond. "You all might want to head to the dining room."

Natalie and Kevin got up, and the others followed them to the dining room as Mrs. McKenzie went to the kitchen. Mrs. McKenzie came in with a large cake with "Congrats, Natalie!" on it in fancy purple letters. "That's really cool Mom, thanks," Natalie said.

"You're welcome," Mrs. McKenzie said. "It's not every day you get your doctorate."

Natalie grinned as her mother started cutting the cake and handing out slices. Soon everyone was eating cake happily.

When they finished, Steve was the first to speak, and he asked, "Natalie, have you made a decision concerning the offer we made you?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "I'd be happy to accept."

The Avengers all looked happy to hear that. "Fury still wants to meet with you, but other than that it looks like you've got the job," Steve said happily.

"I think I'm missing something here," Kevin said. "Nat, is there a reason you didn't tell me about this?"

"Classified information," Natalie said. "I barely got to tell Mom and Dad, much less you."

"And you were out when Natalie came over to tell us," Mr. McKenzie added.

Kevin looked sulky, and asked, "So other than the fact you're apparently meeting with that guy you tried to castrate, I don't get to know what your new job is?"

"We can tell him if he agrees to never tell anyone else or talk about it outside of this house, right?" Tony asked.

The others looked a bit uncertain, and then Kevin whispered in Natalie's ear. None of the others heard him, but Natalie looked at him, startled. She flicked her eyes in the direction of their parents, then looked back at Kevin. He whispered something else, and Natalie giggled. Then Kevin held out his pinky finger, and Natalie linked her pinky finger with his. Then she looked over at her parents, tilting her head slightly in the direction of her grandparents. They got the message, because Mrs. McKenzie said, "Mom, Dad, let's go back to the living room, we'll leave them to talk this over." Natalie and Kevin's parents helped their grandparents back to the living room, and Natalie closed the door. "So what was the whispering about?" Tony asked.

"Kevin reminded me that he's kept a certain secret for ten years, and that he'll never break a pinky promise," Natalie said. "And in case you're wondering, this pinky promise was to never tell anyone about my new job, including his best friend- and, he claims, his wife should he ever get married."

"Which is not happening anytime soon," Kevin added. "If anyone asks, my sister is a therapist, and I am not allowed to talk about her clients."

"Then I guess we'll let Natalie do the honors," Steve said after looking at the others for confirmation.

Natalie smiled as her brother looked at her expectantly, and said, "I'm joining the Avengers…. as their therapist."

Kevin looked shocked. It morphed into a thoughtful expression, and he asked, "So your new friends…."

"My new friends are the Avengers, yes," Natalie said. "And before you ask, NO, I will not convince them to come to ComiCon with us."

"I wasn't going to ask that," Kevin said indignantly. "I was going to ask something else."

"What's that?" Tony asked.

"How do you deal with all the Spandex?" Kevin asked.

Tony immediately started howling with laughter, while Natalie buried her face in her hands and moaned, "Kevin…. Did you have to?"

"I was just curious!" Kevin said defensively. "I went to ComiCon as Captain America last year, and I hated wearing that costume so much I decided the next day that I'd just wear last year's Kurosaki Ichigo costume."

Tony was on the floor by this point, laughing too hard to stand up. Steve was glaring at him for laughing, while Bruce looked uncomfortable and Clint and Loki were smirking. Natasha just looked bored.

"Kevin, forget the Spandex," Natalie said. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Can I show Tony my costume?" Kevin asked hopefully.

"Provided he doesn't die laughing first, yes," Natalie said, eyeing Tony, who was trying to calm down- and failing miserably.

"Tony, quit laughing," Natasha said coldly.

Tony sighed and stopped, then got up. "That was hilarious, Kevin," he said. "Steve needed that."

"I did not," Steve said. "I also didn't need YOU laughing your ass off at me."

"Character building," Tony said nonchalantly. "You can kill me later, I think I'll go see Kevin's costume."

"Great!" Kevin said, and all but dragged Tony off. Natalie smiled as they disappeared up the stairs, and said, "I'm so lucky…."

"How so?" Bruce asked.

"I have the world's best little brother," Natalie said.

"You two certainly have a good relationship," Natasha commented.

"Yeah," Natalie said. "We bonded pretty early on. I always wanted a sibling, and even though we're ten years apart, we're very close. He and I bonded over basically everything, and since we like the same anime, that created more time for just the two of us. Our parents aren't into anime at all, so they left us alone when we'd start debating characters and other things. Kevin's really smart, too; he always has been. And he's always been really attached to me, sometimes more so than our parents. Do you know what his first word was?"

"Sister?" Steve suggested.

"No," Natalie said. "His first word was 'Natty'. The first time he tried to speak, he was trying to say my name, and my parents thought that was so cute, especially since I wasn't in the room at the time. I was actually at school, and he was apparently asking for me."

"That's really sweet," Bruce said. "What was your first word?"

"Button," Natalie said. "According to my mom, I kept trying to get into her box of buttons, and I guess I heard the word often enough that it turned out to be my first word."

Before anyone could respond, Kevin and Tony came back. Natalie looked at them, and Tony said, "Kevin's got talent; it wasn't easy to make that suit out of metal, much less try to recreate it out of something like cardboard and not have it fall apart. And the battery-powered lights are cool too."

"Thanks," Kevin said happily. "Nat, what were you talking about?"

"How lucky I am to have you for a brother," Natalie said. "And I told them your first word."

"I was trying to say Natalie, right?" Kevin asked.

"Right," Natalie said, smiling.

Mrs. McKenzie came in then, and asked, "Did you get things settled?"

"Yes, and I know not to tell," Kevin said.

"Good," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Your dad and I are taking your grandparents to their hotel, will you be okay on your own for a bit? I'm sure Natalie and her friends have to get home."

"Sure," Kevin said. "You do realize I'm fifteen, right? I'm old enough to be on my own for hours, and you'll only be gone about thirty minutes tops."

"True," Mrs. McKenzie said. She turned to Natalie, and hugged her, then said, "Natalie, we're really proud of you. I hope you'll be happy with your new job."

"I think I will be, thanks Mom," Natalie said. "I think Loki and I will head out, thanks for the cake and everything."

"Sure sweetie," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Why don't you go say goodbye to your grandparents and your father?"

"Okay," Natalie said. She left to do that, and after exchanging farewells, she, Loki, and the Avengers left.

"I can drive you and Loki home," Tony told Natalie on their way out.

"That'd be great, thanks," Natalie said. "When did Fury want to meet with me?"

"Tomorrow at 1 PM," Steve said, overhearing the question.

"Where?" Natalie asked.

"Just come to my tower, he'll show up," Tony said. "I'm sure he'll want to interrogate you before letting you in any secret bases."

"Alright," Natalie said as they drove off.

 **Nice long chapter; sixteen pages! I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Fourteen: The Interview**

 _ **The next day:**_ Natalie, dressed in one of her more professional outfits, walked to Stark Tower with Loki, who was apparently going to be Tony's lab partner again. They reached the tower at 12:45, and went upstairs. They found the team in the living room, and Fury was there too. "Sorry if we're late," Natalie said. Loki was munching on a chocolate bar and just nodded.

"Actually, you're early," Fury said. "That's good, because I do need to speak with you, and I don't have all day to do so. I was unaware Loki was so interested in chocolate."

"Severe chocolate addiction; nothing to be done except keep buying it," Natalie sighed. "He's also informed me that he needs more calories than a human, so I decided to just let him eat chocolate. It's not like he's addicted to something hazardous to his health."

"I will leave that problem to you then," Fury said dryly. "Come with me. And leave the chocolate addict with Stark."

"See you later, Loki," Natalie said, and left with Fury, who led her to another room that looked like a second living room. Fury sat down in a chair, and Natalie did the same, waiting for him to speak. He was holding a file folder, and opened it, then glanced at it and said, "Natalie Allison McKenzie, twenty-two years old. Entered the undergraduate program for early admissions in psychology at only sixteen years old. Earned your Bachelor's degree at age eighteen. Recently earned a Doctor of Psychology degree at NYU- the youngest person to earn that degree in ten years. Focused mainly on becoming a therapist, but also took courses in psychoanalysis. According to your teachers and peers, you are a motivated student who put her education before anything else, and your advisor stated that your main reason for this dedication was a desire to help people. Passed your exams with the highest scores in your class. According to this you have an easy-going personality except when you feel someone you care about is threatened. You previously were in therapy for depression over a family member's untimely death, but you started taking martial arts and that seemed to get rid of your depression. Seemingly the only difficulty you have is a fear of alcohol and alcoholism."

He flipped a page and said, "More recently, you met the members of the Avengers Initiative when you took in Loki Laufeyson, and he was taken from your home by one Thor Odinson. You showed remarkable determination to help him, despite the fact you had never met him before the previous night. You traveled to Asgard to defend Loki's actions to his father and ruler, and managed to get him freed simply by infuriating Odin. Loki came to live with you, and you remained friends with Tony Stark after he let you stay at his tower."

Turning another page, Fury said, "According to the reports of doctors and emergency personnel at the local hospital, you found Tony Stark unconscious and it was your timely intervention that saved his life from alcohol poisoning. Your speech to him in the hospital was quoted on the evening news on CNN, and it had the effect you intended; Stark stopped drinking altogether. The next day he took you to his lab and spent three hours in there. After coming out, Steve Rogers reported that Stark's personality was far more socially acceptable, and suggested to me that as the members of the Avengers Initiative were unwilling to see any of MY medical personnel, that I should hire you to be a part of the Avengers Initiative as the team therapist. I took that under consideration, and decided after seeing Tony Stark's drastic change, that I would interview you if you were amenable to the idea. You're quite a talented young woman, Miss McKenzie, and your references are incredible for one so young with no formal experience. I have only one concern with you taking this job- your fear of alcohol. Aside from Steve Rogers and now Tony Stark, everyone on this team drinks at least once in a while. If you join the team, you will most likely come into contact with this fear of yours once in a while. I want an honest answer- will you be able to handle working with people who enjoy something you are terrified of?"

"What they do on their own time is none of my business," Natalie said. "I am well aware that many people enjoy drinking, and while I myself despise it, I don't actively discourage people unless I feel that they have an addiction. I can tell that none of the drinkers on this team have the problem Tony had, and if they want to drink, that's their business. I am more than capable of handling people drinking, and I do know what to do if someone is drunk or if they have alcohol poisoning. I don't let my personal fears affect my work, Director Fury. I realize I will come into contact with people who like to drink or have addictions to alcohol, and I have spent an inordinate amount of time learning to control my emotions in any given situation."

"And when Tony Stark was in the hospital?" Fury asked.

"What did you hear in my voice when I gave Tony that speech?" Natalie asked in return.

"You were passionate, but had your emotions under control for the most part," Fury said.

"Correct- if you were listening to my voice, or looking at my face," Natalie said. "Do you know how I was really feeling at the time?"

Fury scowled. "No," he admitted.

"Pure terror," Natalie replied bluntly. "Tony didn't notice, the doctors didn't notice, and no one who heard my speech noticed, but the entire time I was sitting there, I was terrified. And yet I kept my emotions under control, knowing that becoming hysterical or angry would only do more harm than good. So in answer to your earlier question- yes. I can certainly handle working with people who enjoy something I am terrified of."

"Very well," Fury said. "As long as you do not do a repeat of the incident where you threatened to use me as a dummy to practice castration on, you may have the job."

"I promise not to threaten you with castration again," Natalie said. "My father nearly had a heart attack when he found out who exactly I was threatening."

"How exactly does your father know who I am?" Fury asked.

"Beats me, but he's a lawyer," Natalie replied. "I don't know much about his job, and at the time I was threatening you, I had no idea who you were. All I knew was your last name. My father was the one who told me you were the director of SHIELD."

"Do you often randomly threaten strangers with castration?" Fury asked.

"Only when they're threatening people I care about," Natalie said, smiling sweetly.

"Hmph," Fury said. "Let's talk about the specifics of your new job."

"Alright," Natalie said.

"Due to the fact that I'm having the entire team live here for team-building exercises, I have asked Stark if he would let you live here as well, and he has agreed to give you and Mr. Laufeyson a room, since apparently you two prefer sharing," Fury said. "I understand that you currently live in an apartment building twenty minutes' walk from here?"

"Yes, and my lease runs out in two months," Natalie said.

"I suggest using those two months to move or sell anything in your current apartment, then, as Stark has said you can move in whenever you want," Fury said. "I will let you work out treatment plans with the Avengers, since they are your clients. You will get paid once a week, like the other therapists I employ. It's $600 a week starting pay, and I'll send you a pamphlet on benefits. You will have access to the Avengers' personality and background files, but I want to wait a bit before giving you access to more sensitive files, like mission reports. I assume you have a laptop, correct?"

"Yes," Natalie said.

"I would like you to give it to Stark so he can put the necessary programming on it to access SHIELD's files," Fury said. "You will be given a password, but you can choose your username. I'd prefer that it has nothing to do with your alleged anime addiction."

"Alright," Natalie said.

"A word of warning; Bruce getting too angry or stressed will cause the Hulk to come out, and Tony's the only one who the Hulk won't harm," Fury said.

"I had an idea about that anyways," Natalie said. "I think I'll talk to Bruce about it."

"Oh?" Fury asked.

"I don't know much about this, but has Bruce ever attempted to form a symbiotic relationship with the other guy?" Natalie asked. "I know he's good at suppressing the Hulk, but no one's ever mentioned if he's ever tried to work WITH the Hulk, rather than just trying to ensure he never comes out unless it's absolutely necessary."

Fury just stared at her, single eye wide. "I take it that's a no?" Natalie asked.

"I don't think anyone's ever suggested that," Fury said finally. "Rogers was right."

"About what?" Natalie asked.

"You're something else," Fury said. "Most would have crumpled under the pressure I was putting on you when we first met; you, on the other hand, started threatening me. And now you've come up with a solution to Banner's problem that NO ONE has even ever suggested before."

"I actually got the idea from an anime," Natalie said, suppressing a grin when Fury sighed.

"Do I want to know?" he asked.

"The main character had a similar problem, and I always thought it was a shame that Ichigo never attempted to form a more reasonable relationship with his inner self," Natalie said. "Instead he fought tooth and nail to keep his inner self from ever getting out. I always thought it would be better to find a way to work together with his inner self, and that's what came to mind when I first heard about Bruce's problems."

"I suppose I should expect a request for a Friday off for Comic Con?" Fury sighed.

"I promised I'd take my little brother and Loki, so yes," Natalie said. "Guess who Kevin is cosplaying as."

"Who?" Fury asked warily.

"Iron Man," Natalie said. "And I got conned into going as the Black Widow. Now I just need to find a bunch of black clothing."

"Or you could ask Agent Romanoff if you could borrow something from her," Fury said. "Exactly how is your brother recreating the suit, and should I be concerned?"

"Cardboard and metallic paint, along with battery-powered Christmas lights," Natalie said. "Tony apparently thinks it's cool. Kevin all but dragged him off during the party we had for me getting my doctorate."

"Your family knows, then?" Fury asked.

"Yes, and they are all well aware that they can't tell people, including members of my extended family," Natalie said. "I was careful."

"Good," Fury said. "That should be all; give Tony your laptop when you get a chance, and he can upload the software you'll need."

"Will do," Natalie said.

Before Fury could respond, they heard Tony shout, "STEVE! WHAT IS EVERGREEN DOING IN MY LAB!?"

"Evergreen?" Fury asked.

"Steve's kitten," Natalie said. "Steve has a kitten obsession. I like Evergreen, though, so I think I'll go find her."

"Rogers has a KITTEN OBSESSION?" Fury asked in disbelief.

"Yup," Natalie said. "Are we done?"

"Yes, we're done," Fury said. "Go help rescue the cat."

Natalie perked up and left. She ran into Steve on the way, and as they took the elevator to Tony's lab, Steve asked, "How'd it go?"

"I think he was impressed," Natalie said. "And according to him, Loki and I will be living here soon."

"Great," Steve said. "You two are good with Evergreen- unlike Tony."

"Should we convert him?" Natalie asked.

"I'll pass- he won't listen to me," Steve said.

They got out of the elevator and ran to Tony's lab, and Natalie called, "Tony, is Evergreen still in there?"

"Yes, and I want her OUT," Tony said grouchily. He let them in, and Natalie saw Evergreen attempting to climb Tony's suit. She went over and gently picked the kitten up, then cuddled her and said, "Come on Evergreen, let's go play with Steve. No more climbing, okay?"

Evergreen purred happily as Natalie handed her to Steve, who said, "Sorry Tony."

"How did she even get in here?" Tony asked. "The doors were closed."

"Cats are like that- but it's also a possibility she slipped in when you came down here, and just hid somewhere until you noticed her," Natalie said. "By the way, where's Loki?"

"He said something about needing more chocolate," Tony said. "I told him not to eat it in here, and he left."

"He had two bars of Lindt and a bag of M&M's already," Natalie said in disbelief. "How could he possibly need more?"

"That's a bit scary," Tony commented. "Maybe you should talk to him about this…."

"I think I will," Natalie said. "His addiction is getting out of control. Is there a way to contact Thor?"

"No… but he should be showing up soon, he usually only stays away for a month or so," Tony said. "Why?"

"I was going to ask if he or Frigga knew anything about the ingredients in chocolate; maybe there's something in it that's causing this addiction?" Natalie suggested.

"I didn't think of that," Tony said. "You could ask Loki, you know."

"True," Natalie said. "I think I'll do that. JARVIS, is Loki still in the kitchen?"

"Yes," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie replied, and headed out. Sure enough, she found Loki eating a chocolate bar, and asked, "Loki, how much chocolate have you had today?"

"I lost track," Loki said. "Why do you ask?"

"Your addiction is out of control, and I was wondering if you knew if there was anything in the chocolate that could be causing this," Natalie said.

Loki looked at the nutrition information on the wrapper, and then winced. "I take it there is something?" Natalie asked.

"No, I simply did not know it was that fatty," Loki said. "I cannot see anything that would cause this addiction; perhaps it is just my personal taste."

"Whatever it is, I'm cutting you off," Natalie said. "And according to Fury, we're moving in with these guys now that I'm the team therapist, so we should start packing up our apartment."

"No more chocolate?" Loki asked sadly.

"No more chocolate," Natalie said firmly.

Loki sighed, but before he could say anything, a woman Natalie hadn't seen before came into the room, and looked at her. "Are you Natalie?" she asked.

"Yes, are you Pepper?" Natalie asked.

"Yes, and I can't thank you enough for what you did for Tony," Pepper said.

"You're welcome," Natalie said. "I'm just glad what I did worked- though I could have done without the broadcast that night."

"I was in tears," Pepper admitted. "So what brings you here today?"

"Interview with Fury," Natalie said. "I'm now the official therapist for the Avengers."

"That's wonderful, congratulations," Pepper said.

"Thanks," Natalie said with a smile. "Did you come looking for Tony? He's in the lab."

"I'm not anymore," Tony said from the doorway. "Hi Pepper, what's up?"

"I have some things for you to look at, and I was telling Natalie how grateful I am to her," Pepper said.

"Do I have to look at the paperwork?" Tony whined.

"Yes," Pepper said dryly.

"I'll make an apple pie if you look at the paperwork, Tony," Natalie said.

"Make whipped cream too and you've got a deal," Tony said immediately.

"Done," Natalie said. "I'll go to the store; I think the only things I need are whipping cream, vanilla, and more apples."

"I can get those," Pepper said. "How did you do that, Natalie?"

"Get Tony to agree? Ever heard the saying, "The fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach"?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah," Pepper said.

"That method works well for bribery too," Natalie explained. "Oh, if you ever need to bribe Clint to do something, promise him a chocolate cream pie and he'll do whatever it is while actually smiling."

"And you know this how?" Tony asked.

"After that fight he had with Loki, I talked with him and discovered that he's got a serious weakness for chocolate cream pie," Natalie said. "Loki decided to test it out for me, and it worked like a charm."

"Cool," Tony said. "Okay, where's the paperwork? I want to get the torture over with so I can eat pie."

Pepper handed over a large, thick folder, and said, "I'll go get the ingredients for you, Natalie. What kind of apples?"

"Granny Smith apples," Natalie said. "Thanks Pepper."

"Sure," Pepper said, and headed out. Tony went to the living room as Natalie started getting the ingredients for the crust out.

By the time she finished rolling out the crust, Pepper was back. Natalie thanked her and started slicing the apples. The pie was ready to go in the oven about half an hour later, and Natalie put it in, then set the timer for an hour. She started cleaning up, and by the time she was done, the pie was starting to smell good. She started the whipped cream next.

As Natalie was setting the pie out to cool, Tony came in with a bunch of paperwork, which he handed to Pepper. He looked at Loki, and snickered. "What is so funny?" Loki asked.

"You look like a puppy begging for table scraps right about now, Loki," Tony snickered.

Natalie looked, and said, "Tony, stop teasing Loki. He can't help being adorable."

"I am NOT adorable," Loki groused. "Adorable would refer to small animals. I am not a small animal. Evergreen is adorable, but I am not."

"Aw, don't sell yourself short, Reindeer Games," Tony said. "Girls love cute."

Loki just glared at him, then looked puzzled when he stumbled a bit. Natalie's eyes narrowed, and she asked, "Tony, when was the last time you slept in a bed, not in your lab?"

"'Bout three days ago, why?" Tony asked nonchalantly.

"Seems like it's a good thing Fury told me I have to live with you; you need a babysitter," Natalie said.

"I do NOT need a babysitter," Tony grumbled.

"You have dark circles and bags under your eyes, and it's clear to me that you're exhausted," Natalie said flatly. "After pie, I want you to go back to bed before you collapse."

"I'm not going to collapse," Tony protested. "And I have stuff to work on in the lab!"

Natalie gave him her mother's patented 'Mom Look', and Tony sighed. "Can I have pie first?" he asked.

"Yes," Natalie said. "Do you want whipped cream on your pie?"

"Yes please," Tony said.

Natalie looked at Pepper and Loki. "Do you two want pie too?" she asked.

"I would," Loki said.

"Same here, thanks," Pepper said.

Natalie smiled and cut four slices of pie, putting them on plates, and scooping some of her homemade whipped cream onto each. She set the slices in front of Tony, Loki, and Pepper, then sat down with her own. "This is great," Tony said happily.

"I agree," Loki said. "Natalie, can you make this more often?"

"Sure," Natalie said.

"This is really good," Pepper said. "Do you like cooking, Natalie?"

"Yep," Natalie said. "Do you?"

"Yes, I do," Pepper said. "I come over and cook for Tony and his friends sometimes, so they don't have take-out every night. I think Steve can cook, but they usually get take-out for dinner."

"Looks like I'll be doing a lot more cooking in the future," Natalie said. "Take-out every night, while it tastes great, is far from healthy."

"I've tried telling Tony that, but he doesn't listen to me," Pepper sighed. "Why does he listen to you? I thought I'd tried everything."

"I don't know," Natalie said thoughtfully. "Tony, why do you listen to me and not Pepper?"

Tony mumbled something, and the only word Natalie caught was 'trust'. "All I heard was 'trust'," Natalie said. An idea occurred to her, and she asked, "Is it that you trust me more than you trust Pepper?"

Tony sighed, then nodded.

"Why is that?" Natalie asked. "You've known her longer than you have me, and you seem pretty close."

"This is going to sound stupid and cliché," Tony said.

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to," Natalie said. "Or it could wait until we start doing actual therapy sessions."

"I like the second idea," Tony said, and then yawned.

"Bedtime," Natalie said. "And I mean in an actual bed."

"Fine…." Tony said sulkily. "Are you heading back to your apartment?"

"Yeah, it's getting late," Natalie said. "I'll bring my laptop in tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Sure," Tony said. Natalie and Loki headed out soon after that, and went home.

 **Well, Natalie's got the job, and she and Loki will be living with the Avengers soon. I hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Fifteen: Craziness**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie got to Stark Tower at around ten. Loki was at their apartment reading, and had said he'd pack some of their stuff since they'd be moving out soon. When Natalie went in, she met Bruce and Steve, who both looked concerned. "Let me guess, Tony hasn't come out of his room and you want me to go find out what's wrong, right?" she asked.

The two men stared at her, and finally Bruce said, "I don't know how you do that, but yes. I don't think it's serious like last time, so try not to kick the door down."

"Okay," Natalie said. She went up to the top floor, and followed JARVIS's directions to Tony's room. When she got there, she knocked and called, "Tony?"

She heard what sounded like a groan, and then nothing. Sighing, she tried the door, and found it was open. She went in, and saw Tony still in bed. Going over, she put a hand on his forehead, and was surprised that he didn't seem to be sick. He didn't wake up when she put her hand on his forehead, but instead he leaned into her hand, which was kind of puzzling to Natalie. She took her hand away, and Tony sleepily opened his eyes. "Natalie?" he asked, yawning.

"Hi," Natalie said. "Bruce and Steve said you weren't up yet, so I came to check on you. Are you okay?"

"Tired…." Tony said, yawning. Natalie noticed the way he stretched reminded her of Lucky, but shrugged it off and said, "Okay. You can go back to sleep; I'll let the others know you're fine."

Tony curled up again and went back to sleep in about two seconds, which was kind of worrying to Natalie. She left, and went to find Bruce and Steve. She found Steve in the living room watching TV, and he asked, "How's Tony?"

"He said he was tired, so I decided to just let him sleep," Natalie said. "I imagine it's from sleeping in the lab and not getting enough sleep in the first place. He was bound to crash at some point. Where's Bruce?"

"I think he's in his room, why?" Steve asked.

"I had an idea about the other guy that I wanted to run by him," Natalie said. "Fury thought it was a good idea."

"Okay," Steve said. "You know where Bruce's room is, right?"

"The floor below Tony's?" Natalie said.

"Yup," Steve said, and went back to whatever he was watching. Natalie headed off.

She found Bruce's room, and knocked on the door. Bruce opened it a minute later, and said, "Hi Natalie, what's up?"

"I had an idea that I wanted to run by you, and I figured since Tony's sleeping and Steve's watching TV, maybe we could start talking about what you want to get out of therapy with me," Natalie said.

"Sure, but is Tony okay?" Bruce asked.

"He's not sick, so I assume so," Natalie said. "I don't think he's been getting enough sleep lately."

"Probably true," Bruce said. "Where do you want to talk?"

"Wherever you want is fine," Natalie said. "Pick wherever you're most comfortable."

"I like my room, so come in," Bruce said.

Natalie went in, and Bruce motioned to a fluffy armchair near the bed. He sat on the bed as Natalie sat down, and asked, "So what was your idea?"

"I was thinking about your problems with the other guy, and wondered if you had ever tried to form a symbiotic relationship with him, rather than just suppressing him," Natalie said. "I ran this idea by Fury as well, and he claims no one has ever suggested that before."

"How would you go about doing that?" Bruce asked.

"I think meditation might help," Natalie said. "Personally, I don't know a whole lot about it, but from what I understand, meditation helps you not only calm your mind, but get in touch with your inner self. Since your inner self, or part of it, seems to be pretty angry, calming your mind to get in touch with him might help."

"How come you don't know much about it?" Bruce asked, looking thoughtful.

"I chose the alternative- martial arts," Natalie said. "However, I think meditation would work better for you, because martial arts involves physical fighting, and I don't think I'd be a very good teacher anyways."

"So you think meditating to get in touch with the other guy would help me?" Bruce asked.

"I think so," Natalie said. "I think it would be good if you and the other guy could work together instead of you trying to control him all the time."

"Okay," Bruce said. "I'll see what I can find on meditation. Anything else?"

"Yes, I wanted to know what you want to get out of therapy with me," Natalie said. "It's my job to set up treatment plans, but first I want to know your thoughts on this, since apparently you've never been to therapy?"

"Yeah, I never went to any kind of therapy," Bruce said. "I guess what I want from this is just someone I can talk to about anything, without worrying about them judging me."

"I'd be happy to fulfill that role," Natalie said. "Just know that you can tell me anything, and I won't judge you for it. I'm simply here to help you and the others here. And nothing you tell me has to leave this room unless you specifically tell me you want someone else to know. Normally I would give you paperwork that we'd both sign, but I need to find a PDF of the forms I need."

"Paperwork?" Bruce asked.

"Yes, it's an agreement between a therapist and their client that everything the therapist hears is confidential, and therefore it's illegal for said therapist to tell anyone else," Natalie said. "The only exceptions are if you tell me you're going to do something illegal, or if you tell me you're planning on hurting yourself or someone else. Then I'm required by law to inform the appropriate authorities, since while I can try to talk you out of it, I'm not allowed to stop you myself if you go through with whatever it is outside of our sessions. I don't anticipate something like that happening, but I figured I'd tell you before finding a form for you to sign."

"Thanks," Bruce said. "Does it strike you as odd that Tony hasn't come barging in here yet? It's almost two in the afternoon."

"That is odd, and I don't think it's normal for him to still be asleep," Natalie admitted. "Do you want to go check on him?"

"Yeah, I think it's a good idea," Bruce said. He got up, and Natalie did the same, following him to Tony's room. Bruce knocked, and called, "Tony?"

There was no response, and Natalie and Bruce exchanged a glance. Natalie sighed and opened the door. Tony was curled up in bed, sleeping. Natalie went over and felt his forehead, then said, "No fever; I wonder what's wrong."

Bruce came over, but before he could say anything, Tony started nuzzling Natalie's hand in his sleep. "That's not normal," Bruce commented.

"He's acting like a cat," Natalie said thoughtfully.

"Weird," Bruce said. "Do you think Loki did something?"

"Maybe," Natalie said. "I'll call him." She took out her cell phone and called Loki. Two rings later, she heard, _"Natalie?"_

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about why Tony is acting like a cat today, would you?" Natalie asked.

Loki snickered and asked, _"Has he asked you to pet him yet?"_

"I'll take that as a yes," Natalie sighed. "What was the reason this time?"

" _I was bored,"_ Loki said. _"Stark acting like a cat seemed amusing, so I turned his brain into that of a kitten's."_

"Are you planning on fixing this?" Natalie asked wearily.

" _I set the spell to wear off by tomorrow morning,"_ Loki said casually. _"I see no reason to take it off sooner. Have fun!"_ He hung up.

"He is SO sleeping on the couch tonight," Natalie growled.

"What happened?" Bruce asked.

"Loki decided that he would turn Tony's mind into that of a cat's," Natalie said. "Apparently he'll be back to normal tomorrow morning. Though I do wonder why Loki asked if Tony had asked ME to pet him yet."

"Tony's more comfortable around you than anyone else; that's probably why," Bruce said.

"I guess I'll be staying here tonight; he'll probably follow me home if I don't," Natalie said. She looked at Tony, who was waking up, and said, "Tuna."

Tony immediately woke up and looked at her hopefully. "Tuna?" he asked.

"There's some in the kitchen, and you've been asleep long enough," Natalie said. "Let's go find tuna."

Tony got up and followed her out, leaving Bruce to bring up the rear. Steve was in the kitchen with Thor when they got there, and they looked up. "Uh…. why does it look like Tony just woke up?" Steve asked.

"Loki turned his mind into that of a cat's, so he slept basically all day," Natalie sighed. "Hi Thor."

"Hello Natalie," Thor said happily. "How are you?"

"Aside from the fact that Tony's probably going to follow me around all day? I'm pretty good," Natalie said. "Loki, on the other hand, is going to be sleeping on the couch for a week."

"Tuna?" Tony asked hopefully, nudging her.

Natalie sighed and went to the pantry, then pulled out a can of tuna. She got a can opener and opened the can, then drained the water and asked, "Would you like a tuna sandwich, Tony?"

"No, just tuna," Tony said.

Natalie sighed and dumped the can into a bowl, then handed Tony a spoon and the bowl, and said, "Here's the tuna."

Tony perked up and started eating the tuna while standing up. He finished it in about three minutes, and looked at Natalie hopefully. "More food?" he asked hopefully.

Before Natalie could respond, she felt Evergreen rubbing her legs, and Tony actually hissed at the kitten. Then he pulled Natalie away from Evergreen and said, "Mine."

"I think I just entered the Twilight Zone," Clint commented. He had come in in the middle of this, and continued, "Why does Tony think Natalie is his?"

"According to Loki, he has the mind of a kitten," Bruce said. "Loki's spell is supposed to wear off by tomorrow morning."

"This should be amusing," Clint commented.

"I don't particularly find Tony nuzzling me amusing," Natalie said. "Clint, you just moved up the list."

"List?" Clint asked.

"Of people who are going to pay for this," Natalie said. "Loki is currently Number One, and he's going to be sleeping on the couch for the rest of this month. You just got the Number Two slot."

"So what are you going to do to me?" Clint asked.

"That would be telling," Natalie smirked- then grimaced when Tony started nuzzling her again. "Tony, why are you doing that?" she asked wearily.

"Pet me!" Tony pleaded.

Natalie turned dark red as Clint fell off his chair laughing. "Thor," she said through gritted teeth.

"Yes?" Thor asked.

"Please go to my apartment and drag your brother here so I can tell him EXACTLY how I feel about this," Natalie said. "I don't care if you have to knock him out with Mjolnir or something."

"I can bring Mjolnir?" Thor asked.

"If you get Loki, yes," Natalie said.

"I shall return!" Thor said, and left.

"Natalieeee! Pet meeeee!" Tony whined.

Natalie held back a groan and said, "Let's go sit on the couch."

Tony immediately went to the living room, dragging Natalie with him. She sat on the couch, and he curled up, putting his head on her lap and snuggling against her. Natalie sighed when he looked at her pleadingly, and started petting his hair. He settled down and started making a noise that was halfway between humming and purring as she petted him.

Half an hour later, Tony had fallen asleep when Thor returned dragging Loki, who was struggling to get free. He stopped when he saw Natalie, and smirked, then asked, "Having fun?"

"NO," Natalie said grimly. "WHY would you put a spell on Tony that makes him follow me everywhere and ask to be petted?"

"You took my chocolate away," Loki said, shrugging.

"If you don't take this spell off, I will NEVER buy chocolate again, and YOU will be sleeping on the couch for a MONTH," Natalie hissed.

"Oh, very well," Loki said sulkily. He waved a hand over Tony's head, and Tony started to wake up as Loki asked Natalie, "It would not happen to be what women refer to as 'that time of the month,' would it?"

"NO, it's not that time of the month, I just don't particularly enjoy Tony begging me to pet him," Natalie said.

She heard a yelp from her lap, and Tony abruptly sat up, looking around. He spotted Loki, and growled, "There'd better be a good reason for this, Reindeer Games."

"Natalie took my chocolate away; I simply got her back," Loki said. As an afterthought he added, "And I was bored. This seemed amusing- until Thor dragged me off while applauding my taste in women."

"Neither of those were good reasons," Tony grumbled. "Did you ever wonder what would happen if Natalie actually liked the attention?"

"No, because I knew it would make her uncomfortable," Loki said. "I would not have done it if I thought she might start seeing you rather than me."

"That's another week with no chocolate," Natalie said dryly. "You can have chocolate the week after next. Honestly, you're just digging yourself in deeper."

"I have to wait another whole WEEK!?" Loki shouted.

"Punishment for making Tony act like that," Natalie said. "Unless you'd prefer to sleep on the couch for a week instead?"

"I will take the couch idea if it means I get chocolate sooner," Loki said.

"Fine, I'll buy some chocolate on Monday," Natalie said.

"What is it with you and chocolate?" Tony asked.

"I enjoy it," Loki said simply.

"More like you worship it," Natalie snorted. "Remember that time I told you that you had eaten all the chocolate already?"

"What happened?" Tony asked before Loki could respond.

"He got this look of utter horror on his face and went running off to see if there was any left," Natalie giggled. "I was just joking, but he totally fell for it!"

"That was evil," Loki grumbled.

"More evil than turning Tony into a human kitten?" Natalie asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"That was a harmless prank," Loki said.

"So was what I did," Natalie replied calmly.

"No it wasn't, it was traumatizing!" Loki said indignantly.

Tony promptly fell off the sofa laughing his head off. Natalie was having trouble holding it together as she said in a strangled voice, "You were traumatized by a lack of CHOCOLATE?"

"Yes," Loki said. "Your voice sounds strange, are you alright?"

Natalie gave up the fight and started laughing. She laughed so hard tears ran down her face as she gasped, "That's the funniest thing I've heard all year!"

Steve and Bruce came in, hearing the laughter, and Bruce asked, "Do I want to know why Tony is rolling around on the floor laughing and Natalie is crying?"

"They apparently find my chocolate addiction highly amusing," Loki said sourly.

"It's not… the addiction…. It's the fact you were traumatized by a lack of that addiction," Natalie gasped. "Seriously, who gets traumatized by a lack of CHOCOLATE? And why aren't you catatonic if you've gone a week without it?"

"He hasn't gone a week without chocolate," Steve said. "Every time you're not looking, he sneaks stuff out of the kitchen."

Natalie groaned. "I give up," she moaned. "There's just no stopping you, is there Loki?"

"Not a chance," Loki said, smirking. "By the way, Thor's birthday is tomorrow."

Natalie perked up. "We should wrap his present then," she said.

"You got me a present?" Thor asked.

"Yup," Natalie said cheerfully. "What kind of cake do you want?"

"I enjoyed the cake you baked for Loki's birthday," Thor said.

"So another chocolate cake with ganache," Natalie said. "I can do that. How old will you be?"

Thor looked like he was trying to figure something out, and Loki rolled his eyes. "In human years, he'll be twenty-five," he said. "Thor cannot do math."

"Should have guessed," Natalie said. "I'll make that tomorrow."

 **Tomorrow: Thor's Birthday and more! Review please!**


	16. Chapter 16

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Sixteen: The Dream Walker**

 _ **The next day:**_ Natalie went to Stark Tower and promptly went to the kitchen to make Thor's cake. Loki was bringing the present they had gotten him later.

By the time noon rolled around, everyone was in or near the kitchen, where Natalie was putting the finishing touches on the cake. She had made pasta salad as well, and set out some chips and salsa. Finished with the cake, she covered it and went to eat with the others.

After cake, Natalie went to the living room, and got Thor's presents, then went back and handed them to him. "The long box is from me and Loki, and the other one is from Tony," she said. "I would suggest opening Tony's first."

"Thank you," Thor said. He opened Tony's present, and his face lit up. "Pop-Tarts!" he said happily. "Thank you, Tony."

"Sure," Tony said.

Thor opened the box from Loki and Natalie, and looked puzzled. "What is this?" he asked.

"It's a leash for your pet hammer," Loki snickered. "Natalie's idea."

"But why is it this bright shade of pink?" Thor asked.

"Oh, that would be because I turned your hair that color," Loki said casually.

The others were all snickering- except for Tony and Clint, who were laughing their heads off as Thor looked at his hair in a panic. He looked relieved when it was still blonde.

"Why exactly does Mjolnir need a leash?" Thor asked.

"To keep it from breaking things," Natalie explained. "So, do you like our prank gift?"

"I cannot think of a polite answer to that, so I will remain silent," Thor said.

"Oh well," Natalie said.

 **~XXXX~**

The day after Thor's birthday, Natalie went back to Stark Tower. Her laptop supposedly had new software on it, so she was picking it up. She had also devised a schedule for talking with the Avengers, which she planned to run by them today.

Of course, it couldn't be that easy. When Natalie got inside, she was met by Steve, who said, "Tony hasn't come down yet; can you check on him?"

"Sure," Natalie said. "I hope he's okay; it's almost ten already." She went up to Tony's room, and knocked. She didn't get a response, but she heard what sounded like coughing, and tried the door. It was open, so she went in. She found Tony sitting up in bed, coughing. He looked up as she came in, and asked, "Natalie?"

"Hey," Natalie said. "Did you come down with something?"

"I just had a tickle in my throat," Tony said defensively.

Natalie went over and put her hand on his forehead, then said, "You came down with something; you've got a fever. And that means you're staying in bed today."

"But I was going to work on my latest project in the lab today!" Tony whined.

"Is it more important than your health?" Natalie asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"….No," Tony said grudgingly.

"Then you're staying in bed, and working on projects when you get better," Natalie said firmly.

"Miss Bossy strikes again," Tony grumbled. He was surprised when Natalie seemed to freeze up for a minute. Then she turned and ran out- but not before Tony saw her eyes fill with tears. Confused, and kind of worried, Tony got up and followed her. He found Natalie curled up outside his door, crying, and knelt next to her. "Natalie, what's wrong?" he asked.

Natalie lifted her head, tears running down her face, and said shakily, "That was what Andrew said the first time I told him to stop drinking. Word for word, and the same tone of voice. That was one of his nicknames for me when I was little and he'd give me piggyback rides when my parents weren't home. I think I'm getting too attached to you."

"Meaning…." Tony said.

"You heard what my dad said about how I felt about Andrew," Natalie said. "He was the cool older brother that I never had. That's how I feel about _you,_ Tony. Frankly, aside from my family and Loki, you're the most important person in my life." She dried her tears, looking slightly embarrassed.

Tony was looking at her, wide-eyed. "I had no idea you felt that way about me," he said finally.

"I'm not surprised," Natalie said, smiling slightly. "You can be pretty clueless sometimes."

"HEY!" Tony said indignantly- then started coughing again. Natalie's smile faded, and when Tony stopped coughing, she said, "Back to bed for you."

Tony sighed and got up, then staggered. Natalie caught him and asked, "Are you feeling dizzy?"

"Yeah…." Tony said.

Natalie helped him walk back to his bed, and tucked him in. She felt his forehead and said, "I'm getting a cool cloth; your fever went up."

Tony just nodded, already half-asleep. Natalie went to the bathroom and found a washcloth, then soaked it in ice water, wrung it out, and brought it back to Tony. He was asleep, and Natalie carefully put the cool cloth over his forehead, and left, cracking the door so she could get back in. Then she asked, "JARVIS, where is Bruce?"

"Dr. Banner is in his room, Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie said, and went to Bruce's room, knocking on the door. Bruce opened it a minute later, and asked, "Natalie? How's Tony?"

"He's sick," Natalie said. "I was wondering if you knew where I'd find fever medicine."

Bruce frowned. "Tony never gets sick," he said. "I'd better have a look."

Natalie followed him back to Tony's room, and waited as he examined Tony. Finally Bruce sighed and said, "Looks like you were right, he's just got a cold. I'll grab some Tylenol; can you get a glass of water from the bathroom?"

"Sure," Natalie said. She went to the bathroom and grabbed the glass on the counter, filling it with water. Bruce was coming back when she got there, and Natalie set the water down on Tony's nightstand. Bruce handed her a bottle and said quietly, "Give Tony two pills when he wakes up; I'll let the others know what's going on."

"Alright, thanks," Natalie said, her voice equally quiet. Bruce left, and Natalie settled down next to the bed, picking up a book on the way. Oddly, it was a book on Norse mythology.

Bruce came back half an hour later looking worried, and Natalie got up, going into the hallway with him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Steve has the same thing now," Bruce said.

Natalie was confused for a minute, but then it clicked. "And he's supposed to be immune to every disease known to mankind, which is why you're worried," she said.

"Right," Bruce said. "And Tony almost never gets sick either. I don't think this is normal."

Before Natalie could respond, Bruce's cell phone rang. "Fury," he said, looking at the caller ID.

"Put it on speakerphone," Natalie said.

Bruce picked up and did so, then asked, "What's up Director?"

" _Why are Agents Barton and Romanoff not picking up their phones?"_ Fury asked. _"I know they're over there."_

Natalie and Bruce exchanged glances, and Bruce said, "My guess is they got the unusual cold that Tony and Steve have."

" _Rogers can't get sick,"_ Fury said.

"Well, that's apparently untrue- or this isn't a normal illness," Bruce said. "Both he and Tony are running fevers, and Tony has a cough. I wouldn't be surprised if Natasha and Clint have the same thing."

" _Why are you still healthy then?"_ Fury asked.

"I have no idea, but if I'm right, it's probably just a matter of time before I get sick too," Bruce said.

"Either that or whoever did this wants one person to still be healthy to figure out what's going on," Natalie said.

" _Explain,"_ Fury ordered.

"I have a feeling that someone is behind this, since it's been made very clear that Steve is incapable of getting sick," Natalie said. "If so, the most logical explanation for why Bruce is still fine is that they're toying with us, and want us to figure out what's going on- most likely because there's no way to cure them. Bruce has the best chance of figuring this out, and if I'm right, he'll be fine at least until he figures out what's happening."

" _And if you're wrong?"_ Fury asked.

"Then he'll most likely have whatever this illness is by tomorrow," Natalie said. "Either way it seems we've got some kind of enemy after the Avengers, which means that you should get to work on figuring out who it is, and leave me and Bruce to take care of our friends."

" _I don't like being ordered around, Miss McKenzie,"_ Fury said warningly.

"That was a firm suggestion, not an order," Natalie said calmly. "Anything else?"

" _No, but contact me if Dr. Banner comes down with this illness as well,"_ Fury said, and hung up.

Natalie sighed and asked Bruce, "Did you tell Steve to go back to bed?"

"Yeah," Bruce said. "Should I check on Natasha and Clint?"

"Good plan," Natalie said. "I'll go see how Tony's doing. Where's Steve's room?"

"It's the one across from mine," Bruce said. "But I don't mind checking on him. And you should call Loki, he should know about this."

"Good idea," Natalie replied. She took out her cell phone and dialed Loki's number as Bruce left. Two rings later she heard, _"Natalie?"_

"Hey Loki," Natalie said. "All the Avengers save Bruce are sick with something, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

" _I am fine- but I will be there soon, that does not sound good,"_ Loki said.

"Alright," Natalie said, and hung up. Then she went to check on Tony. He was waking up as she went in, and she went over to him and felt his forehead, then bit her lip; his fever had gone up. Tony looked up at her, and she said, "Tony, you need medicine."

"You look grim," Tony commented, sitting up as she tipped two pills onto her palm and handed them to him.

"Everyone here except me, Bruce, and Loki is sick," Natalie said. "And since Steve is sick too, we're guessing there's something or someone causing this." She handed him a glass of water, and he took the two pills, then set the glass down again. "Why isn't Bruce sick then?" he asked.

"My guess is that either they want him to be the one to figure out what's wrong, or he's just getting it slower than the rest of you," Natalie said. "Loki's on his way over; maybe he can help us figure this out. In the meantime, try to get some rest, okay?"

"What's going to happen if there is some kind of enemy?" Tony asked.

"We'll worry about that later," Natalie said. "You need to focus on getting better, not worrying about new enemies. Fury's working on it, and he knows everyone's sick. Go back to sleep, Tony."

Before Tony could respond, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Tony called- then started coughing again. Loki came in, and said, "I pinpointed the cause of this illness."

"What was it?" Natalie asked. "And can you fix it?"

"It targets specific people's energy signatures," Loki replied. "Therefore, this illness will attach only to the person or people who it's sent to, not to anyone else. It also manifests differently for each person, which makes healing basically impossible. And I am not good at healing sicknesses in any case; we do not have many on Asgard. Normally the only time Aesir get sick is if they are poisoned, and Jotun are not much different. I am skilled at healing injuries, but unknown sicknesses are not my area of expertise."

"So there's nothing we can do?" Natalie asked.

"Dr. Banner and I will work on figuring out a way to cure everyone- I have ensured that he won't get sick," Loki replied. "It will mainly fall to you to take care of the others. From what I have seen, though, Stark here seems to have the worst of it."

"What's wrong with the others?" Natalie said. "You mentioned this sickness is different for everyone."

"Natasha has a migraine that won't go away, Clint has stomach problems, and Steve has a fever," Loki replied. "Dr. Banner is, as you know, fine, and Thor is not here. Dr. Banner left medication with Natasha and Clint, but said you had the fever medicine, so I would recommend giving some to Steve."

"I'll go do that," Natalie said, picking up the bottle on Tony's night table. "You should go help Bruce, Loki."

"I will do so," Loki said. "The sooner we find a cure the better."

Natalie kissed his cheek and said to Tony, "I'd better find you sleeping when I get back, or at least trying to."

She rolled her eyes and walked out when Tony started grumbling under his breath. She did hear Loki say, "I see I am not the only one Natalie has wrapped around her fingers, Stark."

Natalie sighed as she knocked on Steve's door, and heard, "Come in."

Natalie went in, and said, "Steve, I brought you some fever medicine; do you need me to get you some water?"

"No, Bruce got me some," Steve said.

Natalie handed him two pills, and he took them. "Thanks," he said.

"Sure," Natalie said. She felt his forehead and said, "I'm getting a cool cloth too."

She went to the bathroom and came back a few minutes later with a cool cloth, which she put over Steve's forehead. "Get some sleep, I'll be back later," Natalie told him. Steve settled back down as she left.

Natalie returned to Tony's room to find Loki and Tony having a glaring contest, and sighed. "Boys, do I need to separate you?" she asked wearily.

"Reindeer Games is the one who wouldn't leave," Tony said sulkily.

"Loki, I hope you have a good explanation for keeping Tony up," Natalie said, crossing her arms.

"He said I act like a puppy around you," Loki grumbled. "And he's the one who started the glaring contest when I told him you had him wrapped around your fingers."

"So basically YOU started this with that comment," Natalie said. "You know what that means, right?"

"More time on the couch?" Loki sighed.

"No chocolate until you figure out how to cure this illness," Natalie said. "Out, please."

Loki drooped and left, and Natalie looked over at Tony, who was snickering. "You're not sleeping," she said.

"Your point?" Tony asked.

"You're not going to get better if you don't rest," Natalie commented.

"According to Loki I'm not going to get better unless he and Bruce find a cure, so why does it matter?" Tony groused. "I hate sleeping. Sleeping means nightmares."

Natalie sighed. Before she could say anything, though, Tony started coughing again, harder this time. By the time the coughing fit ended, Tony was gasping for air. Natalie gave him the glass of water, but noticed he was shaking, and helped him drink the water. After finishing it, Tony lay back down and was out like a light.

Natalie decided to go to the kitchen and see if they had ingredients for chicken noodle soup, and left. Halfway down the hall to the elevator, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Dr. Banner asks me to inform you that Mr. Laufeyson has collapsed."

"Does he know the cause?" Natalie asked.

"No," JARVIS said.

"Where are they?" Natalie asked.

"In Dr. Banner's lab, I can lead you there," JARVIS replied.

Natalie followed his directions, and knocked on the door of Bruce's lab five minutes later. It was opened by Bruce, who said, "Loki just collapsed, and he's not sick as far as I can tell."

"What were you two doing?" Natalie asked.

"Examining a blood sample we took from Clint," Bruce said. "I can't figure out why he collapsed."

Natalie went and put a finger on Loki's forehead. Bruce watched, puzzled, as her eyes turned ice blue, and finally she said, "He's been trapped in his own mind, forced to relive the torture he went through when he was held captive by the Chitauri. Whoever our new enemy is, they're not taking chances on him being able to help. If I can't stop this, it will break his mind."

"What do we do?" Bruce asked. "And how did you know that, anyways?"

"I'm going to go in and take him out of his memories," Natalie said. "I need your help getting him to our room."

Bruce picked up Loki, and carried him out, followed by Natalie. When they reached Natalie and Loki's room, Bruce set Loki down on the bed, and Natalie said, "You should go back to researching; I need absolute silence or I could damage Loki's subconscious." She looked at the ceiling and said, "JARVIS, no matter what, don't interrupt me, even if it's an emergency, until I tell you it's okay to speak."

"Understood," JARVIS said. Bruce simply nodded and left. Natalie closed the door and then sat down with Loki. She put a hand on his forehead, and closed her eyes, then took a deep breath and concentrated. A minute later she opened her eyes, and found herself in what was obviously a torture chamber. There were no windows and not much light, but Natalie could see that Loki was strapped to a table, his body covered in cuts and bruises. His clothing was shredded, and from the looks of things he had a broken arm. Natalie went over, and freed Loki, then helped him up. He looked at her, and asked, "Natalie?"

"We're getting out of here, Loki," Natalie said- just as an enormous creature appeared and started towards them. Loki was shaking, and Natalie just looked at the creature as it purred, "Leaving so soon? You know I can bring him back anytime I choose."

"Then I'll just have to get rid of you," Natalie said calmly. She made a hand sign, and the creature's eyes widened. "Los ntawm qhov kev txiav txim ntawm lub Npau Suave Yamntxwv qhov no ntsuj plig yog kuv li," Natalie said.

 **(A/N: Hmong for 'By the order of the Dream Walker, this soul is mine.' I chose a language I knew nothing about for her incantations.)**

The creature gave an unearthly wail, and started to shimmer. "Kuv ntiab tawm koj mus ib txhis!" Natalie shouted, and the creature screamed before vanishing altogether.

 **(That meant 'I banish you forever!')**

Natalie turned to Loki, who was staring at her, and held out a hand. "Shall we go home?" she asked.

Loki took her hand, and smiled softly. "Yes, let's," he said. Natalie clasped his hand, and they both vanished.

In the bedroom, Natalie opened her eyes, and noticed Loki stirring too. Then he opened his eyes, and looked up at her. "Natalie?" he asked. "What was that?"

"You were stuck in your mind and I got you out," Natalie said. She looked at the ceiling and said, "JARVIS, please inform Bruce that it's okay if he wants to come back in."

"Yes Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said. "You should know that Sir and the others have gotten better, and Dr. Banner is puzzling over exactly why they're not sick anymore."

"Thanos was the one causing the sickness," Loki said. "He was trying to get me back."

Bruce came in at that moment, and asked, "Natalie, what was that about?"

"Are the others up? I only want to say this once," Natalie said.

"Yeah, they're all going to the living room," Bruce said. "Loki, are you okay?"

"I am fine now," Loki replied. He got up, and Natalie did the same, following the two men to the living room where the others were waiting. Tony, Natasha, Steve, and Clint looked up as they came in, and Tony asked, "So any idea what that was about?"

"The leader of the Chitauri wanted you all out of commission so he could capture me," Loki said. "Thanks to Natalie, I believe he will no longer be an issue."

"What does that mean?" Natasha asked.

"This is a bit of a long story," Natalie said. "It's technically a family secret, but since you've all put your trust in my family, I might as well tell you. My father's family has never been normal- each generation, a child is born with a special ability. The ability is both a blessing and a curse, and it's up to the family of the child to raise that child so they know how it's supposed to be used. The main focus of the ability is the power to walk in another person's subconscious. Each generation, one child from my father's family, the McKenzie family, is picked to be the Dream Walker. When the family first began, it was during a time period when everyone knew about and believed in the supernatural- demons, earth spirits, angels, etc. Dream Walkers were chosen as a means to regulate the influence supernatural beings had over human dreams. If a demon or something was possessing someone, the Dream Walker of that generation would have the power to go into the possessed person's subconscious and throw the demon out."

Natalie paused, then continued, "Over time, things changed, and the position of the Dream Walker was no longer needed. Eventually the Dream Walker position faded into myth and superstition, except in my family. We still remember that position, though there usually isn't a need for a Dream Walker in this day and age. The power is more instinctive than anything else, so training isn't necessary to control it or make it work. I only need the knowledge that I CAN do it. Nowadays, the power I have would be used to purge nightmares from a person's mind, as humans have taken over the Earth. I can also sense when someone is possessed by something, which is what happened to Loki. The leader of the Chitauri had basically infiltrated his mind, and trapped him in his memories. I went into his subconscious, and when the creature appeared, I claimed Loki as mine, and banished the thing from his mind. With my protection, Loki can't be harmed mentally by that thing, and I think whatever that creature is, it's not going to be a problem for a while."

"What was it you said?" Loki asked. "I have never heard that language."

"I said, "By the order of the Dream Walker, this soul is mine," Natalie said. "And then I said, "I banish you forever."

"Is this power why my nightmares stopped soon after we started sleeping together?" Loki asked.

"Probably," Natalie said. "Since you were holding onto me, my power most likely stopped the nightmares. I wasn't originally chosen to be the Dream Walker, but in the case of the previous Dream Walker dying of unnatural causes, or before their time, the power shifts to the person in their family they are closest to. The original Dream Walker for this generation was my cousin Andrew. When he died, the power was passed to me, as I was his favorite family member. I never had cause to use it before today, and most Dream Walkers these days don't even use the power once before their deaths. It's a mostly forgotten power, and I don't really care about it unless I can use it to help someone."

"Does this have drawbacks?" Tony asked.

"Any power, whether magical or otherwise, has drawbacks," Natalie replied. "In my case, the drawback is that I can mentally and physically exhaust myself if I spend too much time in someone else's subconscious. And throwing something out of someone's subconscious is pretty tiring too. Luckily I only spent fifteen minutes in Loki's subconscious, and whatever it was that I threw out was so startled that it didn't fight back. If it had fought back, I'd be sleeping right now instead of explaining this to you."

"Do you have any other abilities besides going into someone's subconscious?" Bruce asked.

"I can form telepathic connections with anyone I choose, and the bond will allow the person to respond whether they have power of their own or not," Natalie said. "Other than that, no. It's pretty useless in the real world."

"Actually, the telepathy connection thing would be useful," Clint said thoughtfully.

"We have com links for that, you know," Natasha said.

"Yeah, but we have to speak out loud for them to work," Clint pointed out. "Telepathy would mean we could talk and no one would hear us but us."

"Something we should know about you and Natasha, Legolas?" Tony asked, smirking.

"Zip it, Stark," Clint grumbled.

Natalie suddenly noticed Loki had an evil grin on his face, and asked, "Loki, what are you plotting now?"

Loki didn't respond, instead going over to Clint and whispering something in his ear. "Go for it, this should be fun," Clint said, smirking at Tony. Loki clicked his fingers, and Tony was suddenly a brown kitten with dark amber eyes. Tony hissed at Loki as he and Clint burst out laughing.

Natalie went over and picked Tony up, cuddling him as she said, "Aww…. Loki, you made Tony into the world's cutest kitten!"

Tony actually purred. Loki looked somewhat sour, and asked, "You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?"

"Doing what?" Natalie asked innocently. "Cuddling Tony?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a crush on him, would you?" Loki asked suspiciously.

"No…. but making you think that was quite amusing," Natalie replied.

"Isn't that unfair to Tony?" Steve asked.

"I already told Tony I see him as family when Loki wasn't around," Natalie said. "He knows I don't love him the same way I love Loki."

"So you were trying to trick the Trickster?" Clint asked.

"Yup," Natalie said. "Loki is contagious."

"I am not!" Loki protested. "You liked pranks before you met me!"

"You're still contagious," Natalie said.

"Mmph," Loki said, and snapped his fingers. Tony turned back into a human, and since Natalie had been holding him, they ended up on the floor with Tony on top. Loki was cackling as they tried to untangle themselves, and finally managed it. Tony got up and helped Natalie up, and they glared at Loki, who was still cackling.

"I just noticed you and Natalie are the same height, Tony," Clint commented.

"What brought this on?" Tony asked.

"Loki's taller than both of you," Clint said. "I find it amusing that you have to look up to glare at him."

"And I find it amusing that you have a serious weakness for chocolate cream pie," Natalie said. "By the way, I came up with a rough draft of a plan for seeing all of you for therapy; now that everyone's here, I think I'll go get it."

Going to the kitchen, she found the papers she had written the schedule on, and went back to the living room. The others were waiting, and Natalie said, "This is a rough draft, so I can make changes as needed. I made a copy for each of you." She handed them out, and waited as they looked them over.

"So one of us each day?" Tony asked after a minute.

"Yes, I figured that would free up the rest of my time in case one of you needed help with something during a time that's not your therapy- and for cooking, because SOME people seem to think living on take-out alone is healthy," Natalie said. "I can also switch up the schedule if one of you has to go somewhere during the time we're supposed to be meeting. I want to wait till next week to start the schedule, since I have yet to get my laptop back, and I'd like to look at your files so I've got a better idea of what to work on. I think the file Fury has on me is creepy, though."

"Why?" Steve asked.

"How does he know about my cousin?" Natalie asked. "And how does he know I went through therapy? It's illegal for a therapist to tell anyone about their clients, past or present. Is he some kind of stalker?"

Tony fell over laughing as Natasha sighed and said, "No, he simply has a lot of spies and people who are good at information gathering. Not to mention hackers."

"Oh," Natalie said. She looked at Tony, and asked, "Tony, did you finish whatever it was you were doing with my laptop?"

"Yeah," Tony said. "I can go get it." He got up and left, glaring at Steve's kitten Evergreen as she came in.

Evergreen came over to Loki and rubbed his leg, purring. He picked her up and petted her ears.

"Steve, are you jealous?" Clint asked.

"No," Steve said. "Why?"

"You're staring longingly at your kitten," Clint commented. "Man, you're obsessed."

Steve's cheeks turned pink, and he said, "I'm not OBSESSED! I just like kittens, that's all!"

"That thing is a demon," Clint said. "It bit me the last time I tried to pet it."

"Evergreen is not a demon, stop it," Natalie said. "She's just a sweet little kitten who doesn't appreciate you tweaking her tail repeatedly."

Steve glared at Clint, who looked defensive. "You do realize that cats' tails are attached to their spines, and pulling their tails hurts, right?" Natalie asked.

"Uh…." Clint said.

"Thought so," Natalie sighed. "You have to be gentle with cats and kittens, Clint."

Tony came back with Natalie's laptop, and handed it to her. "Thanks," she said.

"Sure," Tony said.

Natalie spent the rest of the day going through SHIELD's files on her new clients, and then went back to her apartment. She and Loki had already packed most of her stuff and were in the process of moving it to the room Tony gave them.

 **Hope you enjoyed, and tell me what you think! I know giving Natalie powers is probably overkill, but I figured it would help if she wasn't completely normal. I don't think she'll be a Mary Sue, though, so don't worry about that.**


	17. Chapter 17

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Seventeen: Coma**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie and Loki walked into the kitchen and found it deserted. "JARVIS, where is everyone?" Natalie asked.

"They have been called to fight," JARVIS replied. "The Chitauri are apparently attacking downtown."

"What are the Chitauri doing here?" Natalie asked worriedly.

"They are most likely after me," Loki said grimly. "The one they work for wants me back, I know that much."

Before Natalie could respond, her cell phone rang. Picking up quickly when she saw it was Tony, she asked, "Tony, what's going on?"

" _The Chitauri here aren't after Loki,"_ Tony said. _"They're after you, but they don't seem to know who you are. They just keep saying they've come for the Dream Walker. I don't think they even know what you look like."_

"Great…." Natalie said. "I take it I'm supposed to stay here and hope you lot come back relatively unharmed?"

" _Yep, and don't worry, we'll be fine,"_ Tony said- right before the line went dead.

Natalie cursed, and Loki looked at her. "The Chitauri aren't after you, they're after me, but apparently they have no clue who I am or what I look like," she said.

"They are after the power you told us about, then?" Loki asked.

"Yes," Natalie said. "At least they're not interested in you anymore."

"I would rather they be interested in me than you," Loki said. "At least I have fighting skills, and my magic."

"Then help me get back up to speed with my martial arts," Natalie said. "I don't want to be helpless if they somehow capture me."

Loki looked uncertain, but finally said, "Let's go to the gym then."

Natalie followed him to the gym, and they faced each other in the sparring area. "Last one to hit the mat wins?" Loki suggested.

"Fair enough," Natalie said, sliding into a stance. She watched Loki do the same, and waited for him to make the first move. She didn't have to wait long; Loki threw a swift punch at her shoulder, and she smoothly blocked it, then kicked him in the chest. Startled, Loki skidded back a bit, but recovered and attempted to sweep her feet out from under her with one leg. Natalie jumped into the air, and did a flip, landing behind Loki, who spun and managed to land a hit on her shoulder. She dodged a follow-up swing, and attempted the same move Loki had used when he tried to knock her off her feet. Loki jumped over her leg, and tried to kick her. She quickly grabbed his ankle, and yanked it up, causing him to fall flat on his back. She looked at him, and asked, "Did I win?"

"Apparently," Loki said, sitting up. Natalie reached down and pulled him up as he continued, "You're good, but I think you need to build up some more speed and strength."

Before Natalie could respond, Steve came in looking grim. "Do I even want to know what happened?" Natalie asked warily.

"Tony is in a coma," Steve said. "And if either of you have ideas on what to do, it would be helpful."

"I don't know if I can do anything, but I'm willing to try," Natalie said. "How did this happen?"

"He got slammed into a building and buried in rubble," Steve said. "I dug him out, but he suffered a pretty bad blow to the head."

Natalie left the sparring area, and asked, "Where did they take him?"

"One of SHIELD's med-bays," Steve replied. "I can take you there."

"Alright, let's go," Natalie said.

Steve led her and Loki to the landing pad on the roof, where there was a quinjet waiting. They all got on board, and the pilot took them to the Helicarrier. When they got off, they found Fury waiting, and he lifted an eyebrow at Natalie. "Something I should know?" he asked.

"Not right now," Natalie said. "Maybe later."

Fury scowled, but before he could say anything, Steve cut in, saying, "Sir, can we focus on Tony rather than Natalie right now?"

"Fine, come with me," Fury said. He stalked off, and Steve, Natalie, and Loki followed him to the med-bay.

They came to a room, and found Tony lying in a bed, hooked up to various pieces of equipment. Natalie went over to the bed, and sat down in a nearby chair, dragging it closer. She put a hand on Tony's forehead, and said, "The rest of you should stay quiet."

Fury did not look thrilled with this, and opened his mouth, only to have Natalie say, "If I get distracted, things will get worse. MUCH worse."

Fury sighed and shut up. Natalie closed her eyes, and felt herself fall into Tony's subconscious. She opened her eyes when she landed, and saw darkness. "Tony?" she called out.

There was no response, but a small ball of blue-white light that reminded Natalie of the arc reactor in Tony's chest appeared in front of her. It bobbed up and down for a moment, then floated off, and Natalie followed it.

The ball of light led her to a small, windowless room, and she saw Tony curled up in the corner. The ball of light floated over to him, and he looked up as it vanished into his chest. "Tony?" Natalie asked.

Tony looked at her. "Natalie?" he asked. "Where is this?"

"We're deep in your subconscious," Natalie explained. "Your physical body is in a coma, and I came in to see if I could bring you out of it."

"This is my subconscious?" Tony asked, looking around. "I thought it'd be more interesting."

"Maybe it is when you're not in a coma," Natalie said. "Ready to get out of here?" She held out a hand, and Tony took it. She pulled him to his feet as he smiled and said, "Sure."

Natalie closed her eyes, and willed herself and Tony back to the real world. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the med-bay, and Tony was waking up. Natalie looked up to see Fury, Loki, and Steve still there, and got the sense that there were other people watching them. She looked back down at Tony as he opened his eyes, and said, "We have to stop meeting like this."

Tony laughed, then winced. "What happened?" he asked.

"You got thrown into a building and I dug you out of the rubble," Steve said, coming over. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got run over by a semi," Tony said. "I don't think anything's broken, though. Just heavily bruised."

"The suit protected you for the most part, but your helmet was knocked off," Steve said. "I'm glad you're not in a coma anymore."

"Me too, that was boring," Tony said. He looked at Natalie as she yawned, and asked, "What time is it?"

"Not sure, but I'm exhausted," Natalie said. "That was harder than kicking that thing out of Loki's head." She yawned again, and Loki came over, then scooped her up bridal style. Natalie was too tired to care, and just leaned her head on his shoulder. She was out cold two seconds later.

"I take it I'm not getting an explanation on what that was about anytime soon?" Fury asked, keeping his voice down.

"It's up to Natalie if she wants to share," Tony said.

"I'm taking Natalie back to our room," Loki said quietly, and vanished.

"So…. can I leave too?" Tony asked after a minute.

"We'll see what the doctors say," Fury said.

Tony groaned. "I hate doctors," he moaned.

Fury ignored him and went to call a doctor in. A few minutes later, a woman came in and examined Tony, then finally said, "Aside from being bruised all over, you don't seem to have any problems. I see no problem with releasing you, but I'd keep physical activity to a minimum for a few days."

"Joy…." Tony said sarcastically.

"Look on the bright side, you don't have to stay in the hospital," Steve said.

Tony just sighed and got up. Steve handed him some clothes and left with Fury and the doctor.

 _ **Half an hour later:**_ All the Avengers were back at the Tower, and noticed there was no sign of Loki or Natalie. "JARVIS, are Loki and Natalie still here?" Tony asked.

"Yes sir, they are in the room you gave them," JARVIS said.

Tony headed upstairs, leaving the others to their own devices. He went to Natalie and Loki's room, and knocked. The door was opened by Loki a minute later, and he said quietly, "Natalie is sleeping. If you want to come in, you have to be quiet."

"I'll be quiet," Tony said. Loki let him in, and the two men settled down to watch Natalie.

 _ **Several hours later:**_ It was about eight at night when Natalie woke up, by which point Loki and Tony were kind of worried. They were relieved when she opened her eyes and asked, "Loki?"

"How are you feeling?" Loki asked her.

"Rested; how long was I asleep?" Natalie asked.

"Nine hours," Loki replied. "It's eight at night."

"Wow…." Natalie said, sitting up. She looked surprised to see Tony sitting on the end of the bed, and asked, "Tony?"

"Hey," Tony said. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks," Natalie said. "How are you?"

"Sore and bruised, but otherwise fine," Tony said. "Thanks for bringing me out of the coma."

"Sure," Natalie said. "How long have you been in here?"

"Nine hours," Tony said. "I notice you're not wearing pajamas."

"After the last time Loki changed my clothes with magic, I banned him," Natalie said dryly. "That THING was barely clothing. More like a bunch of strings or something. I don't even know where he came up with it; I'm fairly certain he's never been to a lingerie store. I think he's some kind of pervert."

"And yet you love me anyways," Loki said, smirking.

"You sleep with Loki and you don't want him to see you naked?" Tony asked.

"That's not it, it was cold in the apartment and Loki thought it would be funny to put me in something that barely qualifies as clothing," Natalie said. "But I'm kind of shy about being naked because I've never been in a relationship before."

"Seriously?" Tony asked. "I would think you'd have guys after you all the time."

"I was pretty much convinced I was a lesbian until I met Loki," Natalie admitted. "I never had a crush on a guy, and the only girl I ever had a crush on was from a religious family who were anti-gay and lesbian rights. She wasn't as much, but she didn't want her parents to disown her, and I respected that. I had guys after me, yes, but I wasn't interested in any of them. And I wanted to wait until I found the right person anyways. I didn't want my family history to get in the way, and anyone my age I dated would probably be into alcohol at some point. I'm glad I found Loki- though I'm still curious as to how exactly he ended up in my apartment of all places."

"I believe it was because I was thinking about being safe when I came to Earth," Loki said. "My magic may have taken over and decided where you were was safe."

"Your magic was right, apparently," Natalie said. "I don't think too many people would threaten to break down Tony Stark's front door after Thor broke their front window."

"You're right, you're the first person who's ever threatened to break my front door down- most people usually either just blast it or crash in through the windows," Tony commented. "At least you gave JARVIS warning."

"I try to be polite most of the time, but I was in a bad mood," Natalie said.

"Understandable," Loki said. "Thor did, after all, wake you up and broke your window."

"Is that why you seemed so grouchy when you came in?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I woke up when the front window shattered, and after I couldn't stop Thor, I got dressed and ran here," Natalie said.

"So, what did that thing you mentioned as 'barely clothing' look like?" Tony asked at random.

Loki made an odd hand gesture, and Tony turned into a kitten. Then Loki looked at Natalie, who said, "Two days. That's it."

"Oh very well," Loki sighed. "I was hoping for a week."

Tony hissed at Loki, who just smirked at him. Then Natalie and Loki got up, and Natalie picked up Tony, setting him on the floor before following Loki out. Tony followed them, and they didn't notice till they were in the elevator. Natalie looked at him, and giggled. "Tony, you make an adorable kitten," she said. "Maybe Loki should do this more often."

Loki gave her a Look. "What? I can't help liking kittens," Natalie said. "Besides, maybe we can use this to get him to be nicer to Evergreen."

Loki looked thoughtful, and said, "Good point. Maybe he'll figure out kittens are a good thing if he is one."

Natalie smiled and picked Tony up, settling him on her shoulder as the elevator stopped at the communal floor.

They found the other Avengers gathered in the living room, watching a movie. They all looked up, and Bruce asked, "Natalie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I was just tired," Natalie said.

"Where's Tony?" Steve asked. "Wasn't he with you?"

"Stark was making inappropriate comments, so I turned him into a kitten," Loki said. "He's on Natalie's shoulder."

"And how long is this going to last?" Natasha asked.

"Two days," Loki said. "Natalie will not let me keep him like that for a week, but she agreed to two days."

Clint was the first to come over, and he poked Tony in the nose. "Sheesh, he actually looks cute like this," Clint said- and got bitten. "I take it back, he's a demon," Clint said, taking his finger away. Tony gave a kitten's version of a snicker, and Clint glared at him. "You want to be used as target practice?" he asked menacingly.

"You started it," Natalie pointed out. "Poking him like that was an open invitation to be bitten or clawed."

"Evergreen bit me too," Clint grumbled. "I think cats hate me."

"With good reason, you treat them like toys," Loki commented.

Tony mewed, and Thor, who was watching them, said, "He claims he wants to claw Fury."

"You speak cat?" Natalie asked. "I thought it was Loki who knew all the languages."

"Allspeak is an ability all Aesir have," Loki said. He made a face, and said, "Jotun, too."

"Lucky," Natalie said. "So, didn't Fury want to talk to me anyways?"

"Yes, I believe he did," Steve said. "You aren't really going to let Tony claw him, are you?"

"I think it would be funny, especially if we don't tell him the kitten is Tony," Natalie said innocently. "So, who has his phone number?"

"This sounds hilarious," Clint said, and got out his phone, ignoring Steve's look of disapproval. As the others watched, he called Fury and invited him over.

Soon after, Fury arrived, and asked, "So what is this about?"

"I was under the impression you wanted to speak with me, so Clint offered to call you," Natalie said. She saw Tony slip over to Fury and start clawing up his trench coat, and barely contained a grin as Fury said, "Right. What was that you did to Tony earlier?"

"I have the ability to go into another person's subconscious," Natalie said. "All I did was go deep into his subconscious, find him, and bring him out."

"Can you do this to anyone?" Fury asked.

"Yes, but it works better if the person trusts me," Natalie said. "And unless they trust me, if the person in question has any kind of mental shields, it's extremely hard and tiring to get into their subconscious."

Clint noticed that Tony was shredding Fury's trench coat, and snorted, then tried to cover it with a cough. "Do you find that amusing, Agent Barton?" Fury asked.

"No sir," Clint said, struggling to regain control.

"Then what are you laughing at?" Fury asked.

"I believe he is laughing at the kitten that is sharpening his claws on your coat, Director," Loki said smoothly.

Fury looked down, noticed the brown kitten sitting there looking totally innocent, and noticed the hem of his coat was in tatters. "Rogers, can't you train your pets better?" he snarled.

"That one actually isn't mine, sir," Steve said.

"Then is there another kitten-obsessed person here?" Fury asked.

"Loki and I like them," Natalie said. "That one is ours. Isn't he adorable?"

Fury snarled and stormed out. Tony, looking immensely pleased with himself, walked over to Natalie, who picked him up and cuddled him. "Good work, that was funny," she told him. Tony purred.

"Are you sure he doesn't have a crush on you?" Steve asked suddenly.

"I never asked," Natalie admitted. "I simply told him that I thought of him as family. He's never told me how he feels about me. Why do you ask?"

"Because if it turns out he does have a crush on you, it kind of looks like you're leading him on," Steve said.

"Oh," Natalie said softly. She set Tony down- and he went over to Steve and clawed his leg. "Loki, turn Tony back into a human," Natalie said.

Loki sighed and made a hand gesture. Tony changed back into a human, and got up. Then he looked at Steve, and said, "I admit I thought about what it would be like being with Natalie. I realized, though, that even if she wasn't with Loki, I don't really think it would work. And she's a lot younger than me anyways. If she thinks of me as family, then I'm fine with that. I know that when she plays with me every time Loki turns me into a kitten, she's not doing it because she's in love with me. I never thought she was leading me on, and I also didn't think a relationship between us would work out. I'm happy with having Natalie as a friend slash little sister figure."

Steve looked contrite, and said, "Okay." He looked at Natalie and said, "Sorry."

"Not a problem; you were just looking out for Tony, right?" Natalie asked. Steve nodded, and Natalie smiled- until Loki said, "Can I turn Stark back into a kitten now?"

"No, but didn't you say something about turning Clint into a bird or something the other day?" Natalie asked.

"I have since reconsidered; birds have sharp talons and can attack from above," Loki said. "If I turn Clint into something else, it will be something that can't attack me."

"Why not turn him into a hamster?" Tony suggested, snickering.

"I do not know what that is," Loki said.

"Why don't you just refrain from turning me into anything?" Clint grumbled.

"Oh, very well, I shall turn your hair pink instead," Loki said, and snapped his fingers. Natalie giggled and Tony burst out laughing when Clint's hair turned hot pink.

"That's an interesting look on you, Legolas," Tony gasped, still laughing.

"I'd rather have wings," Clint grumbled grouchily.

Loki got a positively evil grin on his face, and snapped his fingers. Clint was suddenly wearing a fluffy white angel costume, complete with wings and halo. Tony was the first to fall over laughing, but Natalie and Thor were right behind him. Natasha was snickering, Bruce was laughing, and Steve was trying and failing not to laugh. Loki was laughing rather evilly as Clint shouted, "You're going to pay for this!"

"Forgive me if I don't take you seriously," Loki snickered. "You look ridiculous."

"And whose fault is that?" Clint demanded.

"You asked for wings, you got wings," Loki said. "The rest was just extra."

"I'm going to go burn this stuff," Clint growled, and stalked off. It would have looked more intimidating if he hadn't tripped over the robes he was wearing. The others burst into fresh peals of laughter as Clint got up, now bright red, and left.

"You know he's going to use you as target practice now," Natasha commented to Loki.

"I'm sure I can handle him," Loki said calmly.

 **Sorry for the delay; more tomorrow! Oh, and Loki was going easy on Natalie, since it was just a sparring match. Otherwise she'd have a lot more trouble beating him.**


	18. Chapter 18

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Eighteen: Revelations**

 _ **The next day:**_ "Well, this is amusing," Natasha commented, sitting on the sofa while sharing a bowl of popcorn with Natalie.

"Yeah," Natalie agreed.

They were watching Loki dodge arrows from Clint's bow, and he was obviously taunting the archer. Loki would wait till the arrow was about to hit him, and then he'd dodge- or simply vanish into thin air, only to reappear behind Clint. Clint was getting infuriated, and Loki had a relaxed smirk on his face as he caught one of Clint's arrows. "Quite amusing," he commented to Clint, who growled at him. Loki grinned and dodged another arrow as he said, "You really should be more careful; you might hit someone with one of those."

"That's the idea," Clint snarled. He shot another arrow, and Loki dodged it- but this one nearly hit Bruce, who had been walking in, unaware of what was going on. Bruce glared at Clint, who started backing away as Bruce struggled to control himself.

Natalie noticed a faint tinge of green on Bruce's skin, and went over, then said, "Bruce, focus on my voice. Can you take a deep breath?"

Bruce was still struggling, but he took a deep breath, and Natalie lowered her voice, adopting a calmer tone as she said, "Good. Try holding your breath to a count of five, and letting it out."

Bruce did so, closing his eyes, and the green color started to recede as he repeated the action. When he opened his eyes five minutes later, he was much calmer. "Did that work?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah," Bruce said. "Thanks."

"Sure," Natalie said. She turned to Clint and said, "Target practice is officially over, unless you're doing it in the gym away from the rest of us."

"Fine…." Clint said sulkily.

Steve came in at this point, and asked, "Has anyone seen Tony?"

"Not yet," Clint said.

"Is he in his lab or his room?" Natalie asked. "I don't mind getting him."

"Last I checked he was in his room," Bruce said.

"Guess I'll go see if he's okay then," Natalie said.

Before she could leave, though, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Sir is asking for you- but he is acting odd."

"Thought I felt something weird earlier," Natalie grumbled. "JARVIS, what color are Tony's eyes right now?"

There was a pause, and then JARVIS said, "They appear to be yellow."

"Shit," Natalie said, and ran for the elevator. Steve quickly followed her, and they went up to Tony's floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Natalie ran for Tony's room, and went in. Tony turned to her, and Natalie immediately noticed his eyes had turned yellow. Then he said, "You fell for it, I see."

Natalie recognized the voice, and snarled, "Thanos, get out of Tony."

"Why should I do that?" Thanos asked, sounding amused. "You can't force me out if you're not touching him."

Steve came in just then, and Natalie said, "Steve, the THING that took over Loki did it to Tony as well. Can you keep him busy? I've got an idea."

"Yes," Steve said. Natalie nodded, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together. Her physical body fell to the floor, seemingly unconscious, and her mental self dived into Tony's subconscious. When she landed, she noticed she was somehow taller, and her hair was loose. She was also wearing a floaty dress made of blue-white silk, and she was barefoot. Ignoring the upgrade, she looked around. She was in a cave of some sort, and going further in, she found Tony shackled to a wall, with a smaller version of Thanos in front of him. They both looked up as she said, "So, what was that about me not being able to force you out without physically touching Tony?"

"How did you get in here?" Thanos shrieked.

"Not important," Natalie said coolly. "The only thing that matters is that I intend to insure this never happens again." She gestured, and Thanos seemed to freeze in place. Then Natalie formed a cross sign with her fingers, and said, "Koj lub hwj chim tsis yog. Los ntawm qhov kev txiav txim ntawm lub Npau Suav Yamntxwv, kuv thim koj muav peev xwm tswj tau lub hlwb. Kuv tso pov koj tawm. Yog li ntawd mote nws yuav!"

 **(Translation: "Your power does not belong. By the order of the Dream Walker, I revoke your ability to control minds. I hereby cast you out. So mote it be!")**

Thanos screamed and exploded into a shower of dust. The shackles binding Tony vanished, and he came over to her. "Thanks," he said. "Where'd the dress come from?"

"It was part of the upgrade I got," Natalie said. "It means that I've fully come into my powers, so anytime I go into someone's subconscious, this is what I'll look like. My physical body is currently dressed in jeans and a T-shirt."

"Ah," Tony said.

"Let's get out of here," Natalie said, holding out a hand. Tony took it, and she took them both back to the real world.

Natalie opened her eyes to see Steve standing in front of her, and Tony on the floor. He was waking up, and Natalie asked, "Tony?"

Tony opened his eyes, and they were brown again. He sat up, and looked startled. "What's Steve doing here?" he asked.

"I was worried when JARVIS informed us you were acting oddly, so I came with Natalie," Steve said. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," Tony said, getting up. "Natalie, what exactly did you do?"

"I stripped Thanos of his ability to control minds," Natalie said. "And I brought you out of your subconscious. I'm hoping that you don't have any other enemies who have that ability."

"I don't think we do," Tony said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm tired," Natalie said. She was still sitting on the floor, and realized she could barely keep her eyes open.

Tony seemed to notice, because he came over and picked her up. Natalie leaned her head on his shoulder and was out like a light. Tony put her in his bed, and said quietly, "Steve, you should let Reindeer Games know what happened."

"Sure Tony," Steve said, keeping his voice down as he left. Tony settled down to watch over Natalie.

 _ **With Steve:**_ Steve found Loki down in the kitchen, and Clint sneaking up on him. Before Steve could stop him, Loki said, "Hello Clint; would you care to explain why you're crawling around on the floor?"

"DAMN YOU!" Clint yelled. "How did you even know I was in here?"

"I heard you follow me," Loki said nonchalantly. He looked over at Steve, and said, "Captain, how did it go upstairs?"

"Natalie apparently stripped Thanos of his power to control minds, and she's asleep in Tony's room," Steve said. "He sent me to tell you."

"Why didn't he bring her back to our room?" Loki asked.

"He's lazy, that's why," Clint grumbled.

"Ah," Loki said, and vanished. Clint growled. "I hate it when he does that."

Loki, meanwhile, had appeared in Tony's room, and found Natalie asleep and Tony sitting next to her, reading something. He wordlessly settled down on Natalie's other side and started stroking her hair.

By midnight, both Loki and Tony had fallen asleep, though at some point Tony had migrated to a large armchair.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Loki was the first one up, and he noticed that Natalie was stirring as well. "Natalie?" he asked softly.

"Hi," Natalie said, opening her eyes sleepily. "How long was I out this time?"

"All day and all night," Loki said.

"Is Tony okay?" Natalie asked.

"He's asleep, but he was fine yesterday," Loki replied. "We're in his room, by the way."

Natalie sat up, and spotted Tony curled up in the armchair. She got up and went over to him, just as he started to wake up. "Morning Tony," Natalie said.

"Morning, how are you feeling?" Tony asked, yawning.

"I'm fine, thanks," Natalie said. "Sorry for making you sleep in the armchair."

"It's fine," Tony said. Suddenly it looked like a thought occurred to him, and he said, "I didn't have nightmares last night."

"Might have something to do with sleeping in the same room as Natalie," Loki said, coming over.

Before Tony could respond, JARVIS said, "Sir, Queen Frigga just arrived and wishes to speak to you, Miss McKenzie, and Mr. Laufeyson."

"We'll be right there," Tony said, getting up.

They went down to the living room, where they found the other Avengers and Frigga waiting. "So what's up?" Tony asked. "I get the sense this isn't a social call."

"You are correct, Man of Iron," Frigga said. "I have come because Odin received a visit from the Titan Thanos yesterday. He claimed that the Dream Walker has returned and that we are in danger. I sensed that he was not telling the complete truth, and offered to come to Midgard and see what was going on."

"Your people know of the Dream Walker?" Natalie asked.

"Yes," Frigga said. "The first Dream Walker was actually one of our people, who had been banished to Midgard. They obviously made the most of their situation, and used the abilities they were given to help the humans here. I am aware that most humans these days do not believe in magic as they once did, but any help you can give would be welcome."

"I can tell you, Mother, that the people on Asgard have nothing to fear from the Dream Walker," Loki said. "Thanos is the only one who should be watching his back. My guess is that he was attempting to gain Odin's help in destroying the Dream Walker."

Frigga raised an eyebrow delicately. "And where did you come by this information?" she asked.

"From me," Natalie said. "I am the Dream Walker."

Frigga looked confused, and said, "We had been informed that this generation's Dream Walker was male; was that incorrect?"

"My cousin passed the power to me upon his untimely death, as I was the most important person in his family to him," Natalie said. "I reached full potential for power yesterday, when I stripped Thanos of his ability to control minds. He had the nerve to hijack Tony, so I went in and stripped him of the power he used to get into Tony's mind. I got tired of kicking him out of people's heads, and decided to just cut straight to the root of the problem."

"That may be why he seemed so desperate," Frigga said thoughtfully. "Have you any idea of what he wanted when he took over your friends?"

"He wants me," Natalie said. "I don't know why, unless he just wants to control me. But I can't understand why he'd want to control me in the first place; as far as I know, the power I have can only be used to go inside someone's subconscious. I can't do anything outside of a person's subconscious, and it's extremely tiring to go into someone's subconscious when I'm not physically touching them."

"I would say it's more likely he wants you dead," Loki said grimly. "The power you have wouldn't be of much use to him, since up until yesterday, he had the ability to control minds. Now he doesn't, and he probably went to Odin for help in killing you. Judging by the last time you were in Asgard, it wouldn't surprise me if he agreed to help."

"Yeah, I didn't exactly give Odin any reason to like me," Natalie said.

"So…. what do we do about this guy?" Tony asked. "I think we're all in agreement that we don't want him to kill Natalie, right?"

There were nods all around, and Frigga said, "I will convince Odin not to help Thanos. I do not believe it will be hard, since he never trusted Thanos in the first place. However, we will still need to deal with Thanos."

"Any suggestions for that?" Steve asked. "I don't think we know anything about the guy, except that he used to have the ability to control people."

"As far as I know, he's a technological genius with superhuman strength and a major crush on my daughter," Loki said dryly.

"He wants to crush Hela?" Frigga asked, confused.

"No, I meant he desires her," Loki said. "Natalie may be corrupting my speech patterns."

"You're the one who wanted to fit in," Natalie said, amused. "So what's this about Thanos desiring your daughter?"

"Hela apparently told him if he wiped out half the sentient life in the universe, she would accept him as her consort," Loki said. "So far, he is failing miserably. I don't think she really wants to accept him, which is probably why she set such an impossible task."

"Hela is the ruler of Helheim, correct?" Natalie asked.

"Yes," Loki said, sounding startled.

"If she's your daughter, then why doesn't she live with you?" Natalie asked, confused.

Loki's face darkened, and he said, "Odin. I have four children, and he took all of them from me when they attempted to defend me after a prank I played. And to think, the prank I played was an attempt to get Thor out of an unwanted marriage- yet he did not protest when my children were ripped from my side. Neither did Frigga, for that matter. And the only thing I did was turn Sif's hair black and spread a few rumors that she was cursed."

Natalie was horrified. Two seconds later, horror turned to unbridled rage, and her eyes turned ice blue as she asked, "Is everyone besides you on Asgard scum, or is it just your so-called family?"

Thor and Frigga both flinched at how cold she sounded. "It's everyone," Loki replied. "No one besides you has ever seen me for who I am and loved what they saw."

"Brother…." Thor started, but before Loki could tell him not to call him that, Natalie beat him to the punch.

"What makes you think it's okay to call him that after you sat by and watched as his children were taken away from him?" she snarled coldly. "My mother told me there is no worse pain than losing a child- did ANY of you take that into account? Did you even care that Loki had just saved you a loveless marriage, Thor? Why the fuck didn't you DO anything? That goes way beyond cruel- it's downright immoral! What the fuck is wrong with you people!?"

Thor and Frigga both looked deeply ashamed, and then Thor said, "I was afraid of what of what my father would do if I defended Br-Loki's actions. I should have stood up for my niece and my nephews, I realized that too late. I love Loki's children, and I should have stood up for them when I had the chance, and not acted like a coward. I know it is too late now, but I would not make the same mistake twice, not after seeing how much it hurt Loki." He looked at Loki, and said, "Lady Natalie is right, I do not deserve to call you brother, even though I think of you that way. I cannot speak for why Mother did not defend you that day, but I would like you to know that I fully acknowledge that I was wrong in not coming to your defense and that of your children's."

Loki looked shocked, and didn't say anything. Frigga sighed and said, "I did try to tell Odin that he should reconsider. But I did not find out why Loki had done what he did until after Odin ignored my warnings and banished Loki's children. I admit I had thought he turned Sif's hair black because she looked down on him, and that he was attempting to get back at her. I did not realize that he had done it because Thor asked him to get him out of a marriage with her. Had I known that, I would have pushed for Thor to be punished along with Loki, and the outcome may have been better. Loki, I can only ask for your forgiveness, and let you know what I told you on your birthday- that I will always love you despite my mistakes, and I will always support you. I have made many mistakes in being your mother, and some of them do not deserve forgiveness. But I still love you, and I always will. And I'm very happy that you finally found someone who loves you for everything you are- and hasn't made the mistakes that I did."

"Thank you," Loki said. "I will never forgive Odin, but perhaps I can try to understand the two of you."

Frigga and Thor smiled, and Natalie's eyes returned to their normal brown. Tony seemed to have noticed, because he said, "Natalie, your eyes are brown again."

"My eyes turn ice blue when I get really angry, and I can't control it," Natalie said. "Consequently, I try not to get really angry very often, because I don't want to have to explain to people why my eyes change color."

"You were acting kind of off when you started yelling," Clint commented.

"I don't like children being taken away from their parents too soon, unless their parents are abusive- which was clearly not the case here," Natalie said.

"I get the sense there's a backstory to this," Tony said.

"There is," Natalie said. "But I'd appreciate it if you never told my family I told you this."

"Okay," Tony said. "I don't really talk to your family anyways."

"When I was four years old, my mom gave birth to a baby girl, and named her Anna," Natalie said softly. "Anna was born with an incurable heart condition, though, and died when she was two months old. I only got to hold her once, and she was so tiny and cute. Quiet, too. She never cried. When she died…. I've never seen my parents that devastated. It scared me, because I was little and seeing my mom sobbing was like a blow to the heart for me. At that age, I was still under the impression my parents could do anything, and they were really grateful to Andrew, because he took time off to come help out at our house. He spent a whole week taking care of me until my parents could pull themselves together. When Kevin was born two years later, you have no idea how happy and relieved we were that he was healthy and strong. Of course, then Andrew died and everything came crashing down again, but that's another story."

The others were silent, and Loki wordlessly pulled Natalie into his arms, hugging her tightly. She hugged back without hesitation.

When Natalie calmed down, she let go of Loki, but he kept an arm around her shoulders as she said, "Sorry for getting so worked up."

"With how much you've gone through, I'm impressed you don't break down more often," Tony said.

"I used to break down a lot, but I got past it," Natalie said. "I had a good support system. I'm just lucky I was never diagnosed with PTSD, because that might have hurt my chances of becoming a therapist. My parents were worried that I had PTSD after Andrew died, but eventually the doctors and therapists decided I didn't. And later on it turned out that my abilities kept the nightmares from overwhelming me anyways."

"My nightmares are completely gone thanks to you," Loki said.

"Glad to hear it," Natalie said with a smile. "I seem to have that effect on people."

"I didn't have any nightmares last night," Tony said. "I actually got real sleep for once."

Steve looked at Tony, and asked, "You didn't have nightmares?"

"No," Tony said. "Loki said it was because I was sleeping in the same room as Natalie."

"My powers apparently keep people from having nightmares when they're asleep nearby," Natalie said. "Loki's nightmares started getting much better within a week of the first time we slept in the same bed. Considering Tony was sleeping in an armchair nearby while I was sleeping last night, I'm not too surprised he didn't have nightmares."

"That's incredible," Steve said.

"How did we get from Thanos to nightmares?" Natasha asked suddenly.

"I have no clue," Clint said. "What should we do about Thanos, though?"

"I must get back and tell Odin that Thanos is attempting to trick us into a battle that has nothing to do with us," Frigga said. "I will come back when I know his response. Until then, I am afraid there is little you can do."

She stood, and a portal opened up, swallowing her. Tony sighed, and said, "Well, if that's all, I need coffee. See ya." He started off for the kitchen, but stopped when JARVIS said, "There is an incoming call from Director Fury, sir."

"I'll take it," Steve said.

A holographic screen with Fury's face on it popped up, and Steve said, "Good morning sir, is there a problem?"

"No, I just thought you should know Coulson is back," Fury said.

This got a collective shout of "WHAT!?" from everyone except Loki and Natalie.

"What do you mean, he's 'back'?" Steve asked. "Loki killed him!"

"He was still alive when I left," Loki commented. "All I did was stab him in the back."

Steve and everyone else in the room glared at Fury. "Care to explain why you told us he was dead, Director?" Clint asked menacingly.

"It originally would have been good incentive to get rid of Loki, since he came back, but after that became out of the question, I sent him on vacation," Fury said. "He asked me to let you know he's headed over there now."

"Why didn't you let us know he was alive sooner?" Tony asked irritably.

"Didn't cross my mind," Fury said.

"You're lying," Natalie said flatly. "What was the real reason?"

Fury gave her a one-eyed glare, and Natalie lifted an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You know, the more you try to intimidate me, the less respect you'll get from me," she said. "The first time we met should have been proof of that."

"I wanted to have a back-up in case Loki did something," Fury growled. "If the Avengers thought Coulson was dead, there'd be a better chance of them actually getting rid of Loki."

"So basically your paranoia kicked in when Reindeer Games started living on Earth, and you wanted a way to keep us under your thumb?" Tony asked bluntly. "If you're that paranoid, you might want to consider seeing someone for that."

"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer," Fury growled. "Coulson will be over soon." The call ended.

"Well, I'm glad Phil is alive, but Fury really could have told us sooner," Clint said. "We all know that all you have to do to get Loki to behave is threaten him with no chocolate."

"I resent that remark," Loki said.

"Too bad," Clint grumbled. "I still haven't shot you for turning my hair pink, by the way."

"That reminds me, why isn't it pink anymore?" Tony asked.

"I had to dye it back," Clint growled. "And Loki's chocolate supply now belongs to me."

"No it doesn't, unless you're asking for another fight," Loki said.

"That's right, last time we didn't have a winner because Tony and Natalie stopped us," Clint said with a predatory smirk. "Care to go again?"

"If I find the two of you rolling around on the floor again, Clint, I'll give the whole chocolate cream pie I was going to make today to Tony," Natalie said. "And then it'll be up to him who he shares it with."

"What makes you think I'll share?" Tony asked.

"Exactly," Natalie said.

"You're making chocolate cream pie today?" Clint and Loki asked at the same time.

"Yep, and since there's so many of us, I may make two," Natalie said. "But you two won't get any if you start fighting again."

"Fine," Clint and Loki groused.

"I think I'll go make breakfast," Natalie said. "Anybody have problems with pancakes?"

"Not me," Tony said.

"Is there any bacon?" Loki asked.

"I don't know, why don't you come help?" Natalie suggested. Loki perked up and followed her to the kitchen.

 **Next up: Coulson's Return! And sorry for the wait.**


	19. Chapter 19

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Nineteen: Coulson's Return**

 **~XXXX~**

As Natalie and Loki were setting out breakfast, a man who Natalie assumed was Agent Coulson came in and looked startled. "Agent Coulson, I presume?" Natalie asked.

"Yes…" Coulson said. "And you are?"

"Natalie McKenzie," Natalie said. "Fury didn't tell you I was hired as the team therapist?"

"No, he neglected to mention that," Coulson said.

"He probably didn't want to admit that I threatened to castrate him when I first met him," Natalie said flippantly. "Can you please tell the others that breakfast is ready?"

"Uh… sure," Coulson said, and left. He came back ten minutes later with the Avengers, and they all sat down and started eating. "These are even better than the last ones," Tony said.

"That's because the last batch of pancakes wasn't homemade, it was a mix," Natalie said. "I made these from scratch. And Loki finally got the hang of cooking bacon."

"Exactly how many times has he set off the smoke alarm now?" Steve asked.

"Too many times to count," Natalie said dryly.

"It's not my fault I never had the chance to learn how to cook," Loki said sulkily.

"I know, but it is your fault that you never listen when I tell you that you have to watch the bacon so it doesn't burn," Natalie said. She looked at Clint, who was grabbing another pancake, and said, "Clint, there's a fork on the platter for a reason."

Coulson stared as Clint sighed and used the fork to grab more pancakes. Before Clint could hop back on top of the fridge, Natalie said, "And for heaven's sake, eat at the table. You can be so uncivilized."

"Why do I need to be civilized?" Clint moaned as he sat next to Coulson.

"Because contrary to your belief, you are not actually a bird," Natalie said. "Hate to break it to you, but you're a human, and humans eat at the table, not on top of the fridge."

Clint sulked as he ate his pancakes. Coulson stared at Natalie, who asked, "What?"

"How do you DO that?" Coulson asked. "Agent Barton never listens to me about this, and yet you just got him to behave normally for a change!"

"He knows he'll lose his chocolate cream pie privileges if he makes me mad," Natalie said, shrugging. "Clint has a serious weakness for chocolate cream pie."

"Actually it's because we all trust Natalie with our pasts," Natasha said. "I doubt Clint's attitude has much to do with pie at all. Though it does make a nice bribe."

"Oh, and just so you know, drinking alcohol is something you'll have to do at a bar, not here," Tony said.

"What the fuck happened to you people while I was gone?" Coulson asked incredulously.

"Natalie," the Avengers and Loki chorused.

Tony elaborated, saying, "Natalie came into our lives and broke down all the walls between us. Loki had somehow managed to end up in her apartment when he came back here, and she came after him when Thor brought him here. The first night she was here, she saw right through my walls. We started getting along better because she came here, and proved to us that she was trustworthy. When I got alcohol poisoning, she was the one who found out and called 911, and convinced me to stop drinking altogether. After that, Steve decided we should ask Fury to hire her as the team therapist, and we all agreed. She agreed too, and when she got her doctorate, she became a permanent fixture here- along with Loki, since they're together."

"She's also the youngest Doctor of Psychology in ten years, and suggested a solution to my problems with the other guy," Bruce said.

"A solution?" Coulson asked.

"I suggested that Bruce and the other guy might be better off if they tried working together to form a more symbiotic relationship, rather than Bruce suppressing the other guy all the time," Natalie replied. "I haven't met with him since I suggested that and meditation, since first Loki decided it would be amusing to give Tony the mind of a kitten, and the next day I believe he turned Tony into an actual kitten. I plan to start my therapy schedule tomorrow, actually."

"Who's first again?" Steve asked.

"I decided to go with alphabetical order by last name, so Bruce is first," Natalie replied.

"Just out of curiosity, why is there no drinking allowed here?" Coulson asked. "I don't mind, but it seems a bit strange considering Tony's addiction."

"I quit, and we don't drink because Natalie is afraid of alcohol and drunk people," Tony said. "And before you ask, I quit drinking because I nearly died from it and because I scared Natalie."

"Drunk people I get, but a fear of the drink itself?" Coulson asked.

"Bad family history," Natalie said simply. "I grew up hearing horror stories about what alcohol does to people."

"Ah," Coulson said, and tactfully dropped the subject, instead saying, "Well, I'm glad to see you're all finally getting along."

"Are you moving in too?" Tony asked.

"Fury asked me to, yes," Coulson said.

"It's good to have you back, Phil," Clint said. "I take it you're still our handler?"

"Yes, but it looks like I won't have as much trouble this time around," Coulson said.

"What was it like before I came?" Natalie asked.

"They were all trying to kill each other- quite literally," Coulson said dryly. "And when they weren't doing that, they were ignoring each other and all attempts to get them to cooperate. Frankly, you've worked a miracle."

"Natalie is quite talented," Loki said.

"Thanks Loki," Natalie said happily. "So how many chocolate cream pies am I making?"

"Two should be enough, right?" Steve asked.

"One for Loki and Clint to split and one for the rest of us, I guess," Natalie said. "And Clint?"

"Yes?" Clint asked.

"You WILL be splitting the pie," Natalie said. "And to make sure it's fair, I'll cut it. Who's on dishes this morning? I'd kind of like to take a shower."

"I'll do them," Tony said. Coulson looked at him like he had a second head. "What? Got a problem with that?" Tony asked.

"Uh…. no, I've just never seen you actually OFFER to help out," Coulson said.

"Mmph," Tony said. He got up and went to wash his dishes as the others got the message and put their dishes on the counter nearby.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **Later that day:**_ "Clint, leave Loki's share of the pie alone, and for heaven's sake, can you sit at the table?" Natalie asked in exasperation. "If you drop pie on the floor, I will make you clean the floor instead of Dummy."

"I LIKE high places," Clint grumbled.

"That's going to be our first topic on Tuesday then," Natalie said dryly.

"What if I don't WANT to go to therapy?" Clint asked sulkily.

"You're acting like a child," Natalie commented. "And sleeping in the air vents can't be very comfortable, so I'd like to know more about your little quirk. According to your file you've gotten multiple warnings for jumping out of vents at people."

"It's good for them!" Clint protested. "We're talking about spies and assassins here; they need to be paranoid!"

"Do they need to be paranoid about a guy who thinks he's a bird all the time?" Natalie asked. "Like it or not, we WILL be talking about this. I have several requests for someone to do something about you scaring the living daylights out of everyone- some of which came from Fury. If it makes you feel better, you can have a prank war with Loki after our chat."

"Really?" Clint asked. "YES! I will get my revenge at last!"

This was about when Coulson walked in, and he looked at Clint, then at Natalie, and asked, "What happened NOW?"

"A few days ago, Loki turned Clint's hair pink and dressed him up as an angel," Natalie said. "Therefore, Clint wants revenge on Loki. So when I'm done with him on Tuesday, you might want to watch out, since he'll be starting a prank war with Loki."

"I'm surprised you didn't shoot Loki full of arrows, Barton," Coulson commented.

"I tried, but he kept teleporting and bending in ways that NO ONE should be capable of- or he'd just catch the arrows," Clint said irritably. "And then we had to call it off, because I almost hit Bruce, who would have Hulked out if it wasn't for Natalie."

"You almost hit Bruce," Coulson deadpanned.

"He was coming up behind Loki, and Loki decided to teleport," Clint said defensively.

Natalie suddenly had an idea for the next day, and asked, "Do either of you know a good way to get Bruce to lose control?"

Loki, Clint, and Coulson stared at her like she had grown a second head. Finally Coulson said, "Why do you want Bruce to lose control? He'll turn into the Hulk, and that could be dangerous for you."

"Not if the Hulk doesn't see me as a threat," Natalie said. "And I want to talk to both of them, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knew a way to get Bruce to lose control. The other option for talking to the other guy doesn't really appeal to me."

"What is the other option?" Loki asked.

"Going into his subconscious and hoping the other guy doesn't take offense," Natalie said. "If I were to get knocked out in someone's subconscious, I could get stuck in there, and that's the last thing Bruce needs."

"But why do you want to talk to the other guy?" Clint asked, puzzled.

"I want to know what his feelings are too," Natalie said. "Something tells me the other guy isn't just a mindless beast. If that were true, he wouldn't differentiate between friend and foe, and I've heard that he won't harm at least Tony. And if I can talk to him, maybe I can help him and Bruce become a better team."

"What was that bit about going into someone's subconscious?" Coulson asked.

"That's my ability," Natalie said. "I can go into someone's subconscious. I brought Tony out of a coma with my power, and when Loki was trapped in his mind, I kicked Thanos out and brought Loki back."

Coulson looked a bit confused, but then Natalie's cell phone rang. Seeing that it was her mother, she picked up and said, "Hi Mom, what's up?"

" _I just wanted to check up on you,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said. _"How are things going?"_

"It's crazy over here, but fun, and I officially start sessions tomorrow," Natalie said. "I need to tell Dad something, though; is he around?"

" _Yes, I'll get him, but first, can you tell Mr. Stark that you, he, and Loki are all invited for dinner tonight?"_ Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"Sure," Natalie said. She took the phone away from her ear, and said, "Loki, can you tell Tony the three of us have been invited to my parents' place for dinner tonight?"

"Sure," Loki said, and vanished. Natalie picked up the phone and said, "Loki's going to find him; I'll let you know when I know if he can come, but Loki and I can definitely come."

" _Good, I'll get your dad,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

A minute later, Natalie heard, _"Hey sweetheart, what's up?"_

"The Dream Walker comes again; Heaven help those who stand in her way," Natalie said in a dead serious tone of voice.

" _You're sure?"_ Mr. McKenzie asked, his tone heavy.

"Positive, and my powers have come full circle," Natalie said. "There is something after me, and I don't want you, Mom, and Kevin to get caught up in this. After dinner tonight, I may have to stay away from you guys, and I want you to be careful."

" _I understand,"_ her father said solemnly. _"Do your friends know?"_

"I had to tell them when I used my abilities the first time; the one after me attempted to break Loki, and I kicked him out," Natalie said. "I later stripped him of his mind-walking powers, but he is still alive. Oh, and I can apparently bring people out of comas now."

" _Who else knows?"_ Mr. McKenzie asked.

"Besides the Avengers and Loki? Fury and an agent named Phil Coulson- but they don't know the full extent, and it's better that they don't find out," Natalie said. "I don't need to put more people in danger."

" _Good thinking,"_ Mr. McKenzie said. _"Is there anything else I need to know?"_

"No, but if I think of anything I'll let you know tonight," Natalie said. "Thanks Dad."

" _Of course,"_ Mr. McKenzie said. _"Be careful."_

"I will, see you tonight," Natalie said, and hung up.

Loki came back soon after, and said, "Stark said he'd be happy to come."

"Good, we should be there by six then," Natalie said.

 **Next up: Dinner with Natalie's family! Review please!**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty: First Day of Work**

 _ **Later that night:**_ Tony drove Natalie and Loki to Natalie's parents' house, and they got out of the car. Natalie rang the bell, and the door was opened a minute later by Kevin, who immediately hugged Natalie as soon as they were inside. "Good to see you too Kevin," Natalie said, amused.

"Thanks Nat," Kevin said happily. He looked past her and said, "Hi Tony, hi Loki! Mom has dinner almost ready- and yes, there is chocolate for dessert."

Loki perked up as Tony snickered and said, "Nice to see you too Kevin. Should we take our shoes off?"

"Yes please," Kevin said as Mr. McKenzie came in. He nodded in greeting to Loki and Tony, and then looked at Natalie. "We'll be discussing your message over dinner," he said. "Loki and Mr. Stark know that talking about your ability too much is a bad thing?"

"Yes Dad," Natalie said.

"And can you please call me Tony?" Tony asked. "Mr. Stark is too formal."

"Alright, Tony," Mr. McKenzie said. "I'm Tom. Dinner should be ready, please come in."

The others followed him to the dining room, and found Mrs. McKenzie setting out a large dish of homemade macaroni and cheese. There was a salad on the table as well. She looked up and said, "Nice to see all of you; come sit down."

They all sat down, and started passing the food around. When they all had food on their plates and had started eating, Mr. McKenzie said, "Natalie, you realize the message you gave me earlier means not only that your powers are needed, but that you are in grave danger, right?"

"I'm aware of that, and until this threat is dealt with, after tonight I won't be over again," Natalie said. "I know Loki, Tony, and the other Avengers can fight, but you guys can't, so it's better that I don't hang out here too much, or you'll be in danger."

"How bad is it?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"I stripped this guy of his ability to take over people's minds, and now he wants me dead," Natalie said. "Actually, I think he wanted me dead before that, because I kept interfering with his take-overs of people's minds. But we have confirmation that he's actively looking for a way to kill me now, which is why I alerted you."

Her parents and Kevin looked scared, and Mr. McKenzie asked, "Do you need the Book?"

"No, it's better that you keep it," Natalie said. "I've been able to use my powers through pure instinct, so I don't really need the Book."

"Book?" Tony asked.

"There's a book about the Dream Walkers and their powers that has been passed down through the centuries, and since Dad is technically the head of the McKenzie family now that Aunt Marian is dead, the Book is in his possession," Natalie explained. "And since it contains dangerous knowledge, I don't want it to leave Dad's possession. I shudder to think what would happen if somebody like Fury got their hands on it."

"Fury?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"Yeah, he's a creepy stalker," Natalie said.

Tony choked. Loki started pounding him on the back until he could breathe again, and said, "Stark, I admit that that was funny, but you could at least chew your food."

Tony just snickered. "I'd love to see Fury's face if he heard that," he said.

"You can tell him, if you like," Natalie said.

"I think I will, and record his reaction," Tony said gleefully. "I love blackmail!"

"Tony, did you ever actually grow up?" Natalie asked.

"Of course I did!" Tony said in mock hurt. "I just choose to act like this."

Natalie giggled.

The rest of dinner was fun, and they had chocolate frosted brownies afterwards. After saying goodbye, Tony drove Natalie and Loki back to the Tower, and they ended up watching a movie with the others.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie went up to Bruce after breakfast, and asked, "Ready?"

"My turn today?" Bruce asked.

"Yup, where would you like to do this?" Natalie asked.

"My room would be nice," Bruce said. "By the way, why is Coulson looking at you like you're about to do something crazy?"

"I'll tell you when we get to your room," Natalie said. Bruce sighed and led the way.

When they got to Bruce's room, he shut the door and waved Natalie to a chair, then asked, "So what's up with Coulson?"

"He thinks I'm insane because my plan for the day was to talk to the Other Guy, and I asked him if there was a good way to make you angry," Natalie said.

"I would agree with his assessment," Bruce said dryly. "Most sane people AVOID making me angry."

"Anime fans are rarely completely sane," Natalie said, shrugging.

"Aren't you worried about getting hurt?" Bruce asked.

"Not particularly, since I don't think the Other Guy would perceive me as a threat," Natalie said.

"And why do you want to talk to the Other Guy?" Bruce asked.

"I'm just curious as to what his feelings are," Natalie said. "If you're not comfortable with the idea, I don't mind, or if you want time to think it over, that's fine too. We can talk about something else."

"I need time to think it over," Bruce said.

"That's fine," Natalie said. She picked up a piece of paper, and a pen, and handed them to Bruce, saying, "Read that over, it's the agreement I told you about last time."

Bruce took the paper and read it, then signed it and handed it back. Natalie signed it too, and put it in a folder. Then she looked at Bruce and asked, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"I'm not sure," Bruce said. "Do you have any questions?"

"I do, I just wanted you to have a say in what we talk about," Natalie said. "I'm here to help, not to push you to talk about things you don't want to- though sometimes that is helping."

"Can you do that thing you did to Tony?" Bruce asked. "Where you took one look at him and seemed to know everything about him?"

Natalie smiled. "You want me to analyze you?" she asked. Bruce nodded, and Natalie said, "From what I can tell, you're very emotionally repressed. In your case it makes some sense, because you have to control your emotions or you'll turn into the Other Guy. But you also seem to be under the impression that no one would ever want to be friends with you. You have trust issues, because you've been betrayed too many times. I think you have a big heart, but you avoid others because you're afraid they'll shun or betray you if you get too close to them. You're very smart, and you're also very sarcastic at times. You mainly use the sarcasm to hide your real feelings, because you're living in a constant state of near-panic, not wanting the Other Guy to get out and yet knowing that eventually he will. You also seem pretty modest, maybe even shy. It's a nice quality to have. Am I leaving anything out?"

Bruce was silent for a minute before saying, "No, you're right." He sighed and continued, "My trust issues probably started when I was a child; my father was an alcoholic who regularly abused me and my mother. He killed my mother when she was trying to protect me one day; I think I was about six or so. At that time, I was pretty normal, albeit smarter than most my age. My father always hated me for some reason; I never really knew why. I was bullied a lot at school, too, and I was eventually expelled because I planted a bomb I made in the basement. It turned out to be a dud, but I was expelled anyways. I later got a degree in nuclear physics, and started working at Culver University, in Virginia."

He took a breath and said, "I was working on a project that would supposedly make humans immune to gamma radiation. It failed, and that's when the Other Guy was created. And ever since then I've had multiple people out for my head. I constantly had to move around until I met Tony, and I'm really grateful to him for letting me stay despite my anger management problems. I've never really had friends before him, and honestly I still get nervous that someday he'll abandon me too."

"I highly doubt Tony would ever kick you out or abandon you," Natalie said firmly. "It's clear to me that he really likes you, and you're the only person here who can keep up with him anyways. I don't understand science the way you do; it's good that you both have someone who understands what the other is talking about. And Tony's never really had friends either; I imagine he's happy to have you around. You don't want to be his friend because of some ulterior motive; you actually like him for who he is, and I'm certain he feels the same way."

"Thanks," Bruce said. "I'm still not sure about letting the Other Guy out around you, but I'll think about it."

"Good," Natalie said. "Do you have anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"No, I think I'm good for right now," Bruce said. "Can we end it here?"

"Sure," Natalie said. "Did you have something you wanted to do?"

"Nothing in particular, but I started a book that's pretty good yesterday," Bruce said. "I think I'll stay in here and read."

"Alright, I'll go find Loki," Natalie said. She got up and left, closing the door behind her. She nearly ran into Steve on her way down the hall, and said, "Hi Steve. Have you seen Loki?"

"He's being used as target practice by Clint, who now has electric blue hair," Steve said dryly. "Phil's trying to stop him, but not having much luck. They're in the training room if you want to help."

"Okay," Natalie said. She took the elevator the rec floor, and went to the training room, hearing shouting. She entered the room, and found Loki dodging arrows while Coulson shouted at Clint, "Agent Barton, I order you to stand down!"

"Why are you protecting HIM? He almost killed you!" Clint yelled back.

"You're destroying that wall because you can't hit him," Coulson said dryly. "So I'm not protecting Loki, I'm protecting the building."

"If he would stop turning my hair different colors, this wouldn't happen!" Clint growled.

"Do you always shoot people when they make you angry?" Natalie asked mildly.

"No, just my targets and Loki," Clint said. "Everyone else gets scared out of their wits or pranked. Why are you here?"

"Because Steve told me you were attempting to shoot my boyfriend and Coulson wasn't having any luck stopping you," Natalie said bluntly.

"He turned my hair electric blue!" Clint said defensively.

"That isn't a good reason to kill him," Natalie said dryly.

"What about the fact he took over my mind and made me attack my comrades?" Clint asked.

"I apologized already," Loki said sulkily. "Are you still on about that? You sure know how to hold a grudge, Barton."

"Mmph," Clint grumbled. "Can you just turn my hair back to brown and we'll call it even?"

"Oh, very well- but next time it'll be green," Loki said, snapping his fingers. Clint looked at Coulson, who said, "Yes, it's brown."

Clint sighed with relief and went to collect his arrows. Natalie went over to Loki and dragged him off. They saw Tony on the way to the kitchen, and Natalie noticed he appeared to be searching for something. "Looking for something?" she asked.

Tony looked up and said, "I was looking for you. Bruce said you had finished talking with him, but he didn't know where you went afterwards."

"I went to the training room because Steve said Clint was trying to kill Loki for turning his hair electric blue," Natalie said. "Did you want to talk about something?"

"Yeah, can we go to my workshop?" Tony asked.

"Sure," Natalie said. She looked at Loki, and said, "Do NOT set off the smoke alarm if you're hungry while I'm gone."

"Oh, very well," Loki said sulkily, and vanished.

"Wait… he sets that thing off on purpose?" Tony asked. "I thought he was just a horrible cook!"

"He likes chaos," Natalie said. "And he doesn't listen to instructions like 'you have to watch the bacon, not leave it for ten minutes and go do something else.' Bad combination, apparently."

"Great…." Tony said as he led the way to his workshop. When they got in, Tony motioned to a couch, and Natalie sat down, while Tony sat in a desk chair. "So what's bugging you?" Natalie asked him.

"I think I'm allergic to Steve," Tony said.

Natalie lifted an eyebrow. "Symptoms?" she asked.

"I get really hot and short of breath when he's close to me, and it feels like there are butterflies in my stomach," Tony said.

Natalie burst out laughing. Tony looked at her, puzzled, and she managed to calm down enough to say, "That's not allergies, Tony. Those are signs of being in love with someone. I thought you'd know that by now!"

"Why me?" Tony moaned.

"Something wrong with being in love with Steve?" Natalie asked mildly. "He seems like a nice guy to me."

"He's from the 1940's! Back then being gay or bi was a crime!" Tony moaned. "And even if he's not straight, he probably has homophobia."

"Somehow I doubt that," Natalie said. "Steve seems pretty open-minded to me, and I'm sure he's aware by now that being bi or gay isn't illegal anymore. Why not just ask him out, and see what happens?"

"And if he says no, or it turns out he is homophobic?" Tony asked.

"I'll talk with him," Natalie said.

Before Tony could respond, they heard a CRASH from upstairs somewhere, and Tony asked, "What the hell was that?"

"Mr. Odinson appears to be possessed, sir," JARVIS said.

Tony and Natalie exchanged a glance, and then ran for the elevator. They found Steve, Loki, and Natasha attempting to hold Thor down, and Natalie noticed his hammer was lying on the ground. "What happened?" Tony asked.

"Thor came in here and attacked us for no apparent reason," Natasha said. "It looks more like he's been brainwashed than taken over- his eyes are still blue, but they're blank."

Natalie walked over to Mjolnir, and put a hand on the handle. "What are you doing?" Tony asked her.

Natalie concentrated briefly before saying, "I was right; Mjolnir is sentient." She wrapped a hand around the handle, and stretching her senses toward the hammer, asked telepathically, _What happened?_

At first she thought it hadn't worked, but then a deep voice said in her mind, _Thor is under a hypnosis spell._

 _How do I break it?_ Natalie asked.

 _Channel your power into me and touch Thor's forehead with me,_ Mjolnir replied.

Natalie picked up Mjolnir and went over to Thor, then channeled her energy into Mjolnir and touched his forehead with it. She felt something snap, and Thor's eyes returned to normal. "Did that work?" Natalie asked out loud.

"What happened?" Thor asked, puzzled.

"You came here under some kind of hypnosis and attacked us," Steve said. He nodded to Natasha and Loki, who got off of Thor, letting him up. He looked shocked to see Natalie holding Mjolnir, and asked, "You can hold Mjolnir?"

"Your hammer is sentient, and it told me how to break the hypnosis spell that was put on you," Natalie said.

"What exactly did you do?" Loki asked.

"I used Mjolnir as a channel for my power, which broke the hypnosis spell," Natalie said.

"Were you talking to it?" Tony asked. "You looked like you were concentrating before you picked it up."

"Yes," Natalie said. "I had a feeling when Loki told me Mjolnir chooses who wields it that the hammer itself was sentient, so I decided to see if that was true and if so, if it could help me get Thor back to normal."

"Thank you, Natalie," Thor said.

"Sure," Natalie said, handing him back Mjolnir. She looked at Loki thoughtfully, and he asked, "What?"

"Can you turn yourself into a cat?" Natalie asked curiously. "I know you can turn others into cats, but can you turn yourself into a cat?"

"Only if you pet me," Loki said, smirking.

"Sure," Natalie said. "I don't mind petting you. If you like being petted, you should have said so earlier." She sat down on the sofa, and Loki turned into a cat, then jumped onto her lap. She started petting him, and he settled down, purring.

Natalie looked up at Tony as Loki practically melted under her touch, and asked pointedly, "Don't you have something you need to do right now?"

Tony sighed and asked Steve, "Hey Cap, can we chat? Alone?"

Steve looked a bit confused, but said, "Sure Tony." They left, and Natalie continued petting Loki as the others moved off too, Natasha in the direction of the training room and Thor mumbling something about needing Pop-Tarts.

 **Hope that was okay; next chapter we'll see if Steve reciprocates Tony's feelings! Review please!**


	21. Chapter 21

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-One: Feelings and a Kidnapping**

 _ **Half an hour later:**_ Tony came into the room looking utterly miserable, and flopped down next to Natalie on the couch. "I was right, he is homophobic, and now apparently he thinks I'm worthless and disgusting," Tony said gloomily.

"Did he actually say worthless and disgusting?" Natalie asked.

"No…. but I could tell from the tone of his voice he was thinking it," Tony said glumly.

Natalie gently shooed Loki off her lap and pulled Tony into her arms gently. The next thing she knew, Tony was hugging her back, his face buried in her shoulder. She felt him shaking, and rubbed Tony's back gently, still hugging him. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Tony," Natalie said softly.

"I wanted to be like Steve when I was a kid," Tony said, his voice muffled by Natalie's shoulder. "I hoped if I could be like him, my dad would love me too. Then when I was older, I didn't like him at all, especially right after I actually met him. And now that I've gotten to know him, I found out that I'm in love with him, and he's probably going to hate me for eternity because I told him that."

Natalie heard footsteps, and looked up to see Steve hesitantly coming over. Tony didn't even look up, and Natalie asked Steve, "Well?"

"I don't hate you, Tony," Steve said. "I just grew up in a time when what you said would have gotten you thrown in jail, and I kind of panicked out of habit."

"Out of habit?" Tony asked, lifting his head to look at Steve. "Does that mean you're NOT a straight homophobe?"

"I'm bi," Steve said. "And it's not something I advertise, because I grew up hearing it was a crime against nature. It's hard to rewrite a lifetime of belief, but I'm going to try, because I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have."

"Does that mean you would like to go out with me?" Tony asked.

Steve glanced at Natalie as he said, "Sure Tony, I'd like that a lot."

Natalie got the picture, and let go of Tony, then got up and said, "I'll let you two work this out; good luck."

"Thanks," Steve said as Natalie left.

As Natalie walked to her room, her cell phone rang, and seeing it was her dad, she picked up. "Dad, is something wrong?" she asked.

" _Your brother is missing,"_ Mr. McKenzie said grimly.

Cold fear settled in Natalie's stomach as she asked, "What happened?"

" _He never came home from school; we called the school and his friends, and finally we called the police,"_ Mr. McKenzie said. _"They've had no luck finding him either. Can you try telepathy?"_

"Sure, I'll call you back when I've got news," Natalie said. She hung up, then sat down on her bed and concentrated on her brother, calling telepathically, _Kevin?_

She waited for a few minutes, hands clenching, before she heard, _Nat? Is that you?_

 _Yes. Do you know where you are?_ Natalie asked.

 _No, but the guy who captured me looks vaguely familiar- like I've seen a picture of him before,_ Kevin said.

 _Describe him,_ Natalie said, trying to keep calm.

 _Huge guy with long white hair and an eye-patch, and he has a spear,_ Kevin replied. _The guy who's outside my cell called him 'Allfather'. This place is weird…._

Natalie really had to clamp down on her anger before saying, _I've got a pretty good idea of where you are, and after I tell Dad what happened, I'm coming to get you, okay?_

 _Be careful, these guys all look like warriors,_ Kevin said.

 _Don't worry,_ Natalie said, and cut the connection. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed her home number. Her dad picked up after two rings, and asked, _"Did you contact him?"_

"I've got an idea of where he is, and Loki and I will handle this- it's not something the police can do," Natalie said.

" _Be careful, and I'll want a full explanation when you get back,"_ Mr. McKenzie replied, and hung up.

Natalie grabbed a pair of sneakers and put them on while asking, "JARVIS, is Thor still here?"

"Yes, he is in the kitchen," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie said, and ran to the elevator, taking it to the rec floor where the kitchen was. She ran to the kitchen and found Thor eating Pop-Tarts. He looked up as she came in, and asked, "What has happened? Your eyes are blue again."

"Odin apparently captured my brother and I need you to take me to Asgard, since Loki will probably get killed if he goes," Natalie said.

"My father has captured your brother?" Thor asked, confused.

"Yes, and I need to get him back, so can you please take me to Asgard so I can get my brother back and kill your idiotic father?" Natalie said.

Thor sighed. "I will take you, but please do not kill my father; it will mean that I will have to take the throne and Loki claims I am not ready," Thor said.

"Fine, I won't kill him," Natalie said. "Can we go?"

Thor abandoned his Pop-Tarts and laid a hand on Natalie's shoulder before looking up at the ceiling and calling, "Heimdall, I am ready."

They vanished into a portal, and a moment later found themselves on the Bifrost, with a tall man with golden eyes looking at them. "The boy you seek is in the dungeons under guard," Heimdall said.

"Thank you, Heimdall," Thor said, and motioned to Natalie. She followed him as he asked, "Shall we get my mother in on this?"

"Sure, she'll probably be furious and therefore less likely to hate me if I stab Odin in the balls with something sharp and pointy," Natalie said.

"You seem to enjoy thinking up ways to cause my father harm," Thor commented as they reached the palace.

"You only just noticed that?" Natalie asked.

"No, I am simply not good at remaining silent for long periods of time," Thor replied. He led her to a different entrance to the palace, and they went in. A woman spotted them, and came over, then said, "Prince Thor, I would avoid the throne room- the king and queen are fighting."

"I'm guessing Queen Frigga found out Odin captured my brother for no apparent reason?" Natalie asked.

"I heard one of the guards mention the boy was captured for someone else as a peace offering," the woman said. "I don't know any more than that."

"Thank you," said Thor. The woman bowed and hurried off, and Thor led the way through the palace and down to the dungeons. The cell closest to the staircase was guarded by two warriors, and they looked up, then bowed. "Prince Thor, to what do we owe this honor?" one of them asked.

"I have come for the boy Odin captured," Thor said.

"I still do not know what that's about, but you can have him- we were only given orders not to let him escape," the guard said. He took a key off his belt, and opened the door, then went in and came back out with Kevin. Kevin looked at Thor and said, "Thanks for getting me out; did Nat send you?"

"Actually, I came too, I just thought getting you out would go better if the guards didn't notice me," Natalie said, stepping out from behind Thor. Kevin threw himself at her, and she hugged back tightly. "I'm glad you're safe," she said. "We should get out of here, though; Mom and Dad are worried about you. And I kind of forgot to tell Loki that I was leaving."

"He is going to lecture me on caution again…." Thor moaned.

"I'll take the blame; let's just go before your evil dad finds out we're here," Natalie said.

Thor sighed and led the way out. They got out of the palace with no interference, and went back to the Bifrost. Heimdall was there, and he gave them a look of approval before sending them back to Tony's tower.

They landed in the living room, where they found the other Avengers and Loki having a meeting. They all looked up, and looked relieved. "What happened?" Loki asked. "I came into the kitchen just as you and Thor vanished, and we had no idea what happened! And why is Kevin here?"

"I got a call from my dad saying Kevin had disappeared, and I used telepathy to contact Kevin," Natalie said. "When he described his captor, I knew it was Odin, so I convinced Thor to take me to Asgard and we got Kevin back. Sorry I didn't tell anyone first."

"Why did Odin kidnap Kevin?" Steve asked, puzzled. "I would think it would be Thanos."

"One of the maids said that she had heard a guard say Kevin was being held for someone else," Thor replied. "I believe the reason Father kidnapped young Kevin was as a peace offering to Thanos."

"The woman mentioned Odin and Frigga were fighting," Natalie said. "My guess is Frigga found out about this. I need to get Kevin home now, though."

"I'll drive you," Tony said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Kevin, are you ready?"

"Yeah," Kevin said. He looked at Thor, and said, "Thanks, Thor."

"You are most welcome," Thor said with a broad grin. Kevin smiled back, and he and Natalie went to get in one of Tony's cars.

Tony drove them to the McKenzie's house, and they got out, Natalie going up to the door and ringing the bell. They heard running footsteps a minute later, and the door was yanked open by Mrs. McKenzie, who was followed quickly by her husband. They looked utterly relieved when they saw Kevin, and Mrs. McKenzie started hugging the life out of him while Mr. McKenzie said to Natalie and Tony, "Thank you both."

"I didn't do anything besides drive them here," Tony said. "Natalie and Thor were the ones who went to Asgard and got Kevin back."

"What exactly happened?" Mr. McKenzie asked.

"I was walking home from the bus stop, and then suddenly I was on some kind of bridge," Kevin said. "The guy who brought me there handed me over to Odin, who threw me in his dungeon, and I was there until Thor and Nat came. We didn't have any trouble getting out after that."

"Why did Odin kidnap you?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"We think he might have been planning to use Kevin as a peace offering for Thanos, who is after Natalie," Tony said. "And Natalie and I should probably go before we draw any more attention to you guys."

"Alright," Mr. McKenzie said. "Thank you for bringing Kevin home."

"Sure," Tony said. Natalie waved goodbye to her family and followed Tony back to the car. After a few minutes driving, Natalie noticed something and asked, "Where are we going?"

"You need more professional clothing, so I'm taking you shopping!" Tony said gleefully.

"You sound waaaaay too happy about that- and I thought you hated stores," Natalie said dryly. "And how do you know I don't have more professional clothing?"

"Loki told me," Tony said nonchalantly. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Natalie got a sense of impending doom as they pulled into the parking lot of a large mall, and reluctantly got out of the car, following an unusually gleeful Tony into the building. She wasn't sure she wanted to know why he was so happy, and her suspicions of impending doom were proven correct when Tony made a beeline for Hot Topic. "Seriously?" she asked him, eyeing the shop warily. "I thought you said we were shopping for professional clothing."

"We are, I just wanted to show you mine and Loki's latest genius idea to mortify Steve," Tony said.

"What did you do?" Natalie sighed.

"You'll see," Tony said happily, and dragged her into the store. Natalie sighed when she got a few odd looks, and tried to ignore them as Tony asked a salesgirl, "Do you sell Captain America themed clothing?"

"All the Avengers stuff is over in the corner there," the young woman said, pointing. She blinked when she saw Natalie, and asked, "Natalie? Natalie McKenzie?"

"Yeah… Sadie?" Natalie asked, surprised. "Jeez, I haven't seen you since sixth grade!"

"Well, I did switch schools," Sadie said. "How's it going?"

"Very good, I just got my doctorate in psychology," Natalie said. "Are you in school?"

"Yep, I'm going to a school that teaches people to be chefs," Sadie said. "I work here part-time to help pay the bills. So where are you working?"

"I'm working as a therapist for five pretty insane people," Natalie said. "Never a dull moment, that's for sure."

"Oi, I'm not as insane as Barton," Tony said, offended.

"You don't seem to be denying that you are insane, however," Natalie commented dryly.

Tony wandered off, sulking, and Sadie asked, "Is that your boyfriend?"

"No, Tony's a friend and one of my clients," Natalie said. "And I think he's trying to prank a friend of his with something, which means I need to keep an eye on him."

"Hey Natalie, they do have them here, come see!" Tony called.

Natalie went over, followed by a curious Sadie, and Tony showed her a pair of women's panties with Steve's face printed on the crotch. "Let me guess, you and Loki got bored and hired a fashion designer to design this, right?" Natalie asked.

"Yup!" Tony said gleefully.

"Those are the hottest Avengers item so far," Sadie said. "You're behind that?"

"Yep," Tony said. "I figured I'd leave a pair on Steve's bed, record his reaction to them, and frame Loki if he comes after me."

"He's still going to know it's you," Natalie commented. "But his initial reaction would be highly amusing to see."

"Okay!" Tony said gleefully. "This is going to be so fun!"

"Take it up to the counter then; I'm NOT paying for that," Natalie said.

Tony just shrugged and went to the counter, where Sadie was waiting. She took the money Tony gave her and put the pair of panties in a bag, then said, "Here you go, have fun."

"Thanks," Tony said. He had a totally evil grin on his face, and Natalie said, "Where to now?"

"We're getting you more professional clothing," Tony said as they left.

"You do realize I have a reason for dressing the way I do, right?" Natalie asked.

"What is it?" Tony asked.

"I want you guys to be more comfortable around me, and if I'm dressed more professionally, that won't work as well," Natalie explained. "The more comfortable I can make you guys, the better."

"I guess I didn't think of that," Tony said.

"I have enough professional clothes in case I need to meet with someone like Fury, but for meeting with you guys, I feel like I should dress in a way that makes you comfortable enough to actually talk to me," Natalie said. "Should we go put those on Steve's bed?"

Tony perked up and all but dragged her back to the parking lot. They got in Tony's car, and Tony drove them back to Avengers Tower.

They found the others watching a movie when they got back, and Loki asked, "What took you so long?"

"We took a detour," Tony said. "And I've got something to do in the lab, so I'll be leaving now."

"I'll come get you when dinner's ready," Natalie said. "I was thinking pasta with meat sauce- is that okay with everyone?"

"Sounds fine to me," Tony said. The others nodded, and as Tony left, Natalie asked, "Loki, would you make the salad?"

"Sure," Loki said, and followed her into the kitchen, watching as she washed her hands and started getting out ingredients for the meat sauce. "Loki, why don't you go see if we have any baguette," Natalie suggested. "The salad is kind of a last-minute thing."

Loki headed to the bread cabinet, and Natalie started making the sauce. "I found two loaves; what do you want me to do with them?" Loki asked her.

"Cut the loaves into slices, they'll make a nice side dish, and set out some butter," Natalie said, stirring the sauce.

Twenty minutes later, the sauce was done and simmering, and Natalie had started the pasta, which was rigatoni. "You can make the salad now, Loki," Natalie said over her shoulder. "We're almost ready."

"Should I tell Tony as well?" Loki asked.

"Probably a good idea, and let the others know," Natalie said. Loki left, and Natalie stirred the pasta. Ten minutes later, she drained it and put the three pounds of rigatoni in a large bowl, then did the same with the sauce. Loki had come back and made the salad, and he had set out the bread and butter as well as set the table. Natalie set the main course on the table, and looked up as everyone else came in. "That smells like heaven," Clint said.

"Glad you think so, I hope it tastes like heaven too," Natalie said. "Have a seat, I'll get the parmesan cheese out of the fridge." She went to the fridge and got out a container of shredded parmesan, then got a spoon for it, and set it in the middle of the table before sitting down next to Loki. They started passing the food around, and everyone dug in.

"This is heaven," Tony said after a few bites. "Where did you learn to cook this well?"

"My mom taught me before I left home," Natalie said. "I'm glad you like it; I like cooking and baking."

The rest of dinner was fun; they talked about different things, and afterwards, they went to watch a movie. After the movie was over, Natalie told Clint, "Clint, you've got therapy with me tomorrow."

"Mmph," Clint said. Natalie gave him a stern look, and he sighed. "Fine…" he said gloomily.

 **Sorry I didn't post yesterday; I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two: Disappearance**

 _ **Late that night:**_ Natalie felt Loki get up, but ignored it and went back to sleep, figuring he needed the bathroom or something.

 _ **The next morning, however:**_ Natalie woke up and found Loki gone. Sitting up, she looked around, puzzled, then got up and looked at the bathroom door. It was open and the lights were off. _Maybe he got up before me,_ Natalie thought, and went to take a shower. When she was dressed, she left and went down to the kitchen. The others were all already there, but Tony and Loki weren't. "Natalie, have you seen Tony?" Bruce asked.

"No, and Loki's missing too," Natalie said. "I thought he'd be down here; do you know what happened?"

"We don't have a clue, and according to JARVIS, Tony just disappeared," Steve said grimly. "There was no sign of a struggle or someone else being here, either."

"I didn't hear anything resembling a struggle either," Natalie said. "I can try to contact them, though."

"How?" Steve asked.

"Telepathy," Natalie said. "How do you think I found Kevin yesterday?"

"Go for it," Steve said.

Natalie concentrated, and called telepathically, _Tony? Tony, can you hear me?_

She waited for nearly five minutes, fists clenching, until she heard, _Natalie?_

 _Yes,_ Natalie said. _What happened, and do you know where you are?_

 _I'm in some kind of prison cell, and there are a bunch of Chitauri around,_ Tony replied.

 _Are you injured at all?_ Natalie asked. _And have you seen Loki?_

 _They broke my ankle, and I haven't seen Loki,_ Tony said grimly. _If they have him, he's nowhere near me, and I doubt they'll put us together. And I have no clue what these guys are plotting; I don't understand their language._

 _I'll talk to the others and we'll figure out a plan; try to stay alive,_ Natalie said.

 _I'll do my best,_ Tony said.

Natalie opened her eyes, and told the others, "The Chitauri have Tony. He doesn't know if Loki is there or not, and he's got a broken ankle. I can try to contact Loki, but there's a good chance he won't respond if they're torturing him."

"Try it anyways," Steve said.

Natalie nodded and called telepathically, _Loki?_

She immediately knew something was wrong when she didn't even feel a connection. "There's no connection," she said after a minute. "That either means he's unconscious, being mind-controlled- or it means he's dead."

"He is not dead; I would feel it," Thor said firmly.

"So we have two people to rescue, and they're both on another planet," Steve said, rubbing his forehead.

Just as Steve finished speaking, there was a loud BOOM in the living room, and Natalie and the Avengers ran to see what was going on. They found a large crater near the window, which was shattered. "What the hell?" Natalie said. The dust cleared after a minute, revealing Loki and Tony, both of whom were unconscious. Steve ran over, followed by Natalie. Natalie went to Loki, and checking for a pulse, was relieved to find him alive. He was pretty beaten up, though, and his left arm looked broken. Natalie looked over at Steve, who looked relieved, and asked, "How's Tony?"

"Aside from the broken ankle, he's uninjured," Steve said. "How's Loki?"

"He's pretty beat up, and I think his left arm is broken," Natalie said. She gently put a hand on Loki's forehead, and winced. "He's got a fever, too," she said.

Steve felt Tony's forehead, and said, "Not good; Tony's burning up. We need to put them both to bed."

Before he could say more, Tony woke up with a scream, causing Steve to jump back. Natalie quickly went over to Tony and put a hand on his shoulder. "Tony, what happened?" she asked softly.

Tony looked at her, obviously panicked. "Where's Steve?" he asked frantically.

"I'm right here," Steve said. "What happened, Tony?"

"You-you were dead," Tony said, staring at him. He tried to sit up, but ended up having to settle back down. "I'm dizzy…." Tony mumbled.

Bruce came over, and Natalie moved back as he said, "Tony, I need to set your ankle, so I'm giving you some morphine, okay?"

"Sure…." Tony said. Bruce came over with some morphine, and helped Tony take it. Natalie went to check on Loki while Bruce waited for the morphine to take effect.

Natalie wasn't surprised to see that most of Loki's injuries were already healing. She felt his forehead again, and noticed his fever had gone down. As she took her hand away, Loki slowly opened his eyes. "Loki?" Natalie asked softly.

Loki looked at her. "Natalie?" he asked. "What happened?"

"The Chitauri kidnapped you and Tony, and for some reason the two of you just crashed through the window," Natalie replied. "I have no clue how you got back, but it looks like your injuries are starting to heal. How are you feeling?"

"I feel dizzy," Loki said. "My injuries are nearly healed, however."

"You've got a bit of a fever, though it's not as bad as it was when you first got here," Natalie said. "Do you think you can walk? You should go to bed."

Loki slowly sat up, and pushed himself to his feet, stumbling a bit. Natalie immediately stood up and steadied him. She noticed he was shaking, and then his knees buckled. Natalie caught him, and was about to lower him back to the floor when Thor came over and picked Loki up. "I will take Loki to your room," he told Natalie. "Did you not have a meeting with Clint?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "Loki, will you be okay with Thor?"

"I will be fine," Loki said.

"Alright," Natalie said. "Thor, if you talk the whole time, I will confiscate Mjolnir."

Thor sighed and carried Loki off, sulking. Natalie turned to the others, noticing Steve carrying Tony away, and noticed Clint wasn't there anymore. "He ran for it the minute Thor mentioned your meeting," Natasha said blandly.

Natalie sighed, and focusing on Clint, called telepathically, _Clint, get out here NOW!_

She didn't get a response, but she did get a sense of nervousness that seemed to be coming from the ceiling. Concentrating on that feeling, she walked over to a spot under a vent, and listened. She heard Clint quietly crawling away, and called into the vent, "You can run, but you can't hide!"

She heard a quiet, "Fuck…." and then an idea occurred to her. "JARVIS, are you able to track Clint?" she asked.

"He appears to be heading for the training room, Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Clint, if you don't get your ass out here, I am going to MAKE you get out."

"NO!" Clint said.

Coulson came over and said, "Agent Barton, I order you to get out of the vents."

"Why?" Clint growled.

"Because you're supposed to be in therapy right now, and you're disobeying orders," Coulson said flatly. "Do NOT make me taze you."

There was a bunch of grumbling and swearing, but Clint finally came out of the vents and asked grouchily, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere you're comfortable- that isn't the vents," Natalie said. "Anywhere else is fine."

"Can we go to the roof?" Clint asked.

"Fine, but no escaping," Natalie said dryly. She turned to Coulson and said, "Thanks for the help, Agent."

"You're welcome, and please call me Phil," Coulson said.

Natalie smiled, and then noticed Clint looking bored. "Alright, let's go Clint," she said, leading the way to the elevator. Clint didn't move, and Natalie sighed, went back, grabbed his hand, and dragged him off. Once they were headed to the roof, Natalie asked, "So what's up with you, anyways?"

"Can you see into my mind?" Clint asked.

"Not without physically touching you, and even then, I would get your permission," Natalie replied. "If you tried to shield your mind against me, and I tried to get in anyways, it would cause me intense migraines. I would never go into someone's subconscious without their permission or a spectacularly good reason. As long as you're not in a coma or under mind control, I have no desire to go into your mind. That's not what I do. I'm a therapist, not a mind-reader or a psychic."

They reached the roof, and got off the elevator, then settled down. "So, what's up with your thing with heights?" Natalie asked.

Clint sighed. "I feel safer when I'm high up," he said. "Not many people look up when they're looking for someone. And vents are a great hiding place slash getaway from everything else."

"And the jumping out at people on your side?" Natalie asked. "I can understand doing that to scare the shit out of an enemy, but according to your colleagues and your boss, they've all been on the receiving end of you jumping out of a vent right on top of them."

"It's funny," Clint grumbled.

"Maybe for you, but did you ever consider that not everyone shares your unique brand of insanity?" Natalie asked. "Judging by all the complaints I saw on your file, I'd say no one else finds you scaring them 'funny.'"

"Are there really that many?" Clint asked.

"Last I checked there were two hundred complaints for that very act, forty of which came from Fury, who personally asked me to get it through your head that jumping out of a vent at someone who is not your enemy is not allowed," Natalie said dryly. "That's not a harmless prank, it's a way to give your paranoid colleagues a heart attack or a good excuse to kill you. What do you think's going to happen when one day someone thinks they're actually being attacked and shoots you? You could be severely injured or even killed simply because you're addicted to scaring the living crap out of people. If you were working for a less dangerous organization in an office building, I would probably be egging you on, but as it is, it's not okay for you to scare your colleagues."

Clint started sulking and didn't say anything until Natalie giggled. "What?" he asked.

"You're sulking," Natalie said. "We can talk about something else now if you want, just think over what I've told you."

"I don't like talking about myself," Clint grumbled.

"Is it that you don't trust me?" Natalie asked.

"It's not that, I just don't like talking about my experiences period," Clint said. "Trusting someone doesn't have anything to do with it. I don't even really talk to Tasha or Tony."

"So talking about yourself brings you out of your comfort zone?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Clint said.

"You do realize that part of my job is to help get you to leave your comfort zone once in a while, right?" Natalie asked. "I'm not going to tell you to tell me your life story, and we don't have to get into anything too heavy yet, since this is only the first meeting, but I want you to think over what I've told you, both about your scaring people habits, and one of the main purposes of therapy. If you don't want to continue today, that's fine, but I don't want to have to drag you out here every Tuesday, got it?"

"Got it," Clint said. "Can I go back to my vents now?"

"Technically they're Tony's- but yes, fine, go back to your vents," Natalie said, getting up. "Next time I should have the modified agreement I'm working on for you and Natasha."

"Agreement?" Clint asked.

"Confidentiality agreement; I had to modify the standard one for you and Natasha because of your jobs," Natalie said.

"Okay," Clint said as they went back inside.

They reached the rec floor just as a loud, "TONY!" came from upstairs.

"That sounds like Steve," Phil commented, coming over. "I wonder what Stark did?"

"Captain Rogers has apparently found the little 'gift' Sir left on his desk," JARVIS said.

"I thought he was leaving that thing on Steve's bed," Natalie said.

"Apparently he reconsidered," JARVIS said. "Sir asks if you would like to see Captain Rogers' reaction?"

"I'd love to," Natalie said.

Clint and Phil came over as a holographic screen came up, and they watched Steve walk over to his desk, where he found a pair of women's panties with his face on the crotch. The shocked, horrified and somewhat disgusted look on his face was priceless- and then he turned toward the door and yelled, "TONY!"

Clint was doubled up laughing, and Natalie was laughing pretty hard too as Phil asked, "Where did Stark even get that thing?"

"Hot Topic," Natalie giggled. "Apparently he and Loki got bored and hired a fashion designer some time ago, and those underwear are the result. According to Sadie, who works there, they're pretty popular."

"Sadie?" Clint asked.

"She's a childhood friend of mine, but she changed schools right before junior high," Natalie said. "I hadn't seen her in nearly fifteen years; I'm amazed she recognized me."

Before the others could respond, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Mr. Odinson is asking for you."

"I'll be right there," Natalie said, and headed for the nearest elevator. JARVIS took her up two floors, and she went to her and Loki's room, going in. Thor looked up as she asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Loki's fever has gone down, but he was having a nightmare, and would not wake," Thor replied, keeping his voice down.

Natalie came over, and noticed Loki looked like he was trying to calm down. She gently put a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, calming down completely. Natalie settled down on the bed, and started stroking Loki's hair gently. His fever had gone down significantly; in fact it was almost gone, and his injuries appeared healed. He relaxed as she stroked his hair, and Natalie smiled.

 **Next up is a surprise; enjoy and review please!**


	23. Chapter 23

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three: Uh-Oh**

 _ **Late that night:**_ Natalie finally climbed in with Loki, seeing as he hadn't woken up yet. She fell asleep quickly, feeling Loki curl up against her.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie and Loki woke up around the same time, and Natalie asked, "Loki, how are you feeling?"

"I think I'm fine," Loki said. "Should we get up?"

"Good idea," Natalie said. "Do you want to shower first?"

"That would be nice," Loki said.

"Go ahead," Natalie said with a smile.

When they were both showered and dressed, they went downstairs, and found the others in the kitchen, talking about something. "Morning, what's going on?" Natalie asked.

"Steve's trying to convince Thor that Pop-Tarts don't constitute a healthy breakfast, and the rest of us are watching the show," Tony said.

"How's your ankle feeling?" Natalie asked.

"I can't really feel it because of the morphine," Tony said.

"I can probably fix it," Loki offered.

"That would be great, since we've still got enemies on the loose," Tony replied.

Loki laid a hand on Tony's splinted ankle, and concentrated, tendrils of green magic wrapping around Tony's ankle.

Natalie watched with interest as Loki healed Tony's ankle, and when he was done, said, "That was cool, Loki."

"Thanks," Loki said. "I wonder if the others realize we're actually out of Pop-Tarts?"

"I guess I'd better go to the store," Natalie said. "I'll be back soon."

"You don't have to go," Tony said.

"It'll be nice to get outside," Natalie said. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," Tony said. "Hey Thor, what kind of Pop-Tarts do you want?"

"Not helping, Tony," Steve said dryly.

"I would like strawberry!" Thor said excitedly.

"I'll go get those," Natalie said. She went and grabbed her purse, and left the Tower. It was a nice day out, and Natalie enjoyed the walk to the grocery store. Once there, she grabbed three boxes of strawberry Pop-Tarts, and went to the check-out counters. After paying, she took the bag, and left the store. Just outside the store, however, her cell phone rang, and she picked up, seeing it was Tony. To her surprise, when she picked up, Natalie heard JARVIS's voice say, "Miss McKenzie, there is a situation here, and I require your assistance."

"Be right back," Natalie said, and hung up, then ran back to the Tower. JARVIS let her in, and as she took the elevator, she asked, "What happened?"

"Sir and everyone else has been turned into a child or a toddler," JARVIS said.

"Phil too?" Natalie asked.

"Agent Coulson is currently at SHIELD headquarters, so I assume not," JARVIS replied. "I have already contacted him, Director Fury, and Miss Potts with the situation, and Miss Potts is already there."

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Do you have any idea how this happened?"

"Security footage does not show anything, however my scanners detected something similar to Mr. Laufeyson's magic right before everyone turned into children," JARVIS replied. "However, the energy signature was not the same as his."

"So probably another sorcerer," Natalie said, getting off the elevator and going to the kitchen.

She found utter chaos in there, along with Pepper, who looked hugely relieved when she saw Natalie. "Thank heaven you're back," Pepper said. She was surrounded by all the kids save Loki and Thor, both of whom looked worried.

"So, total chaos today, huh?" Natalie asked wryly.

"Yes, and Loki and Thor are refusing to come anywhere near me for some reason," Pepper said.

"Miss Pepper, who's this?" a six-year-old who was obviously Steve asked.

"This is Natalie, she was taking a walk and now she's here to help me take care of all of you," Pepper said gently.

Natalie smiled when all the kids looked at her. She noticed Natasha, who appeared to be about five, looked intrigued, and then she asked, "ваше имя Наталья тоже?" _Is your name Natalia too?_

"As I'm sure you can see, Natasha doesn't speak English yet," Pepper said.

"нет, просто Натали," _(No, I'm just Natalie.)_ Natalie said to Natasha, then in English, "I'm fluent in Russian, and she says her name's Natalia. She was asking if that was my name too, but I'm just Natalie."

"You're fluent in Russian?" Pepper asked, interested.

"The high school didn't teach Japanese, so I chose Russian," Natalie said.

Suddenly JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Miss Potts, Director Fury and Agent Coulson have arrived and are on their way down."

Thor and Loki both jumped a bit, but the other kids didn't. Noticing Natalie's surprised look, Pepper said, "I explained JARVIS to them while I was waiting for you."

"I see," Natalie said as Fury and Phil came in. Fury looked harried, and Phil nearly stopped dead. "How exactly did this happen?" Fury asked, looking around at the kids.

"According to JARVIS, another sorcerer snuck in and did this," Natalie said.

"It wasn't Loki?" Fury asked, eyeing the five-year-old, who tried to hide behind Thor.

"Not according to my scanners, Director," JARVIS said. "There was definitely another energy signature involved in this, and not one that I recognize."

Before Fury could respond, a four-year-old Tony toddled over and tugged on his coat. "Pirate!" he said gleefully. Bruce, who was six, tugged him away, looking at Fury warily. "Pirates are dangerous, Tony," he said. "Stay away from him."

Natasha went over to Natalie, and asked, "Что Тони сказать?" _What did Tony say?_

"Он назвал Фьюри пират, и Брюс сказал ему, чтобы держаться подальше от пиратов," Natalie replied. _He called Fury a pirate, and Bruce told him to stay away from pirates._

Natasha giggled a bit. "Он выглядит как пират," she said. _He does look like a pirate._

"Miss McKenzie, I was unaware you spoke Russian," Fury commented.

"I'm fluent," Natalie said. "They didn't offer Japanese, so I took the next most interesting language."

"What are we going to do about this mess?" Phil asked. "If something comes up, the Avengers can't fight."

"I'll see if Dr. Foster can pinpoint when this new sorcerer came and where they might be now, so hopefully we can capture this person, and I'll see if there's a way to contact Asgard and Frigga, since Odin's not too likely to help," Fury said. "Agent Coulson, you, Miss Potts, and Miss McKenzie are on babysitting duty. Miss McKenzie, do you have something to say?"

"I was wondering if since there's three of us and seven kids, if we could ask my mom to help out," Natalie said. "She works from home, so it wouldn't be a problem for her to come stay here for a while, I don't think."

"Call her," Fury said.

Natalie got out her cell phone and dialed her home number. When her mother picked up, she asked, _"Natalie, how are things going?"_

"Everyone except me and Agent Coulson are now children," Natalie said. "Are you available? There's three adults and seven kids, and we could use the extra help."

" _How long are we talking?"_ Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"I'm not sure, but SHIELD is going to be working on figuring out how to fix this," Natalie said.

" _Let me tell your father and pack some stuff, and I'll be there soon,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Thanks Mom," Natalie said.

" _Sure sweetie,"_ Mrs. McKenzie said, and hung up.

Natalie looked at the others and said, "She'll be here soon."

"Then I'll be leaving," Fury said. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Natalie said. Fury turned and left, and Phil sighed, then looked around. "Why are there only six kids?" he asked.

"Who's missing?" Natalie asked.

Pepper looked around, and said, "Clint's missing."

"How old is he?" Phil asked.

"Two," Pepper said.

"Then he couldn't have gotten too far," Phil said. "I'll go find him; you two stay with the others."

"Okay," Natalie said. She looked around at the other kids, and then went over to Thor and Loki, who were still looking wary. She knelt in front of Loki, who looked more nervous than Thor, and said, "It's okay, no one will hurt either of you here."

"Where are we?" Loki asked timidly. "This doesn't look like anywhere on Asgard."

"You're right," Natalie said. "You're on Midgard right now, though the people here call it Earth."

"Are we in the sky?" Loki asked, pointing to the window.

"No, we're in a very tall building," Natalie said. "It certainly looks like we're in the sky though, doesn't it?"

Loki nodded shyly. Natasha came over and eyed the two brothers, then said, "Ваша одежда странно." _Your clothes are strange._

"Наталья, это не очень приятно," _(Natalia, that's not very nice.)_ Natalie said. "Они из другого мира. Это только естественно, что они одеваются по-разному." _They're from a different world. It's only natural that they dress differently._

"Мне жаль," Natasha said, looking down. _I'm sorry._

"Can you teach me to speak that language?" Loki asked hopefully. "I would like to learn another language."

"Loki, it is better if you focus on your warrior training than learning a secret language," Thor said.

Loki looked somewhat sad, and Natalie said, "Thor, learning about other languages and cultures is just as important as learning how to fight. Did you know that another in another language called Chinese, you could deeply insult someone if you said a word or phrase the wrong way? You two are princes where you come from, right?"

"Yes," Thor said proudly.

"It's important for royalty to understand other cultures and their people, since at some point, you'll have to deal with them, and if you insult the wrong person, you might start a fight- or even a war," Natalie said. "Being polite is essential to being in a position of power. Didn't your parents ever tell you that?"

"Mother reminds us of that a lot," Loki said. "Are you royalty too?"

Natalie giggled. "No, I'm not," she said. "I've studied history, though, and I know diplomacy is a very important skill for royalty to have. Otherwise, they tend to get overthrown- or end up in bad situations they can't get out of."

Thor looked like he was thinking as Phil came back in carrying a squirming two-year-old Clint. "He was under the sofa," Phil said. "I guess we'll have to keep a close eye on him."

"Probably," Natalie agreed. "Should we make breakfast?"

"More like lunch at this point, but good plan," Pepper said. "Do you think peanut butter and jelly will work?"

"Most likely," Natalie said. She looked at Natasha and asked, "Арахисовое масло и желе хорошо для обеда?" _Is peanut butter and jelly okay for lunch?_

"Есть абрикосового джема?" Natasha asked. _Is there apricot jam?_

"Pepper, is there any apricot jam?" Natalie asked.

Pepper looked and said, "There's plenty, is that what Natalia wants?"

"Да, вы хотели бы что?" Natalie asked. _Yes, would you like that?_

"Да, пожалуйста," Natasha said. _Yes, please._

Natalie looked at Pepper and said, "She says yes please. What other kinds of jam do we have?"

"Strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry," Pepper said.

Natalie nodded and turned back to Thor and Loki. "Do either of you have a preference of those jams?" she said.

"I'd like strawberry, please," Loki said shyly.

"Apricot, please," Thor said.

"Okay," Natalie said. "Pepper, did you get that?"

"Yup," Pepper said. "I think we'll need to buy more bread after this though. Will you get out some grapes for all the kids?"

"Sure," Natalie said. She got up and went to the fridge, getting out a bag of grapes and putting some on each of the plates Pepper had gotten out after washing them. "I've heard giving two-year-olds whole grapes increases a risk of choking; should I do apple slices for Clint instead?" Natalie asked.

"Good idea, I didn't even think of that," Pepper said. "Have you babysat before?"

"Yeah, I took a course on it when I was twelve, so I could spend time with kids and earn a bit of cash," Natalie said. "The biggest challenge I ever had was a pair of four-year-old twins, and even they were pretty well-behaved- for four-year-olds. I'm glad it's not just me today, because I'm fairly certain I can't handle seven little kids."

"Why not?" Steve asked her, having listened to the conversation.

"I can't keep an eye on all seven of you at the same time, especially if you're all doing something different, so it's good that Pepper and Phil are here, and that my mother is coming, because that means there will be plenty of people to look after all of you," Natalie explained as she cut up an apple and put a few slices on a plate for Clint.

"Oh," Steve said.

JARVIS broke into the conversation at that point, saying, "Miss McKenzie, your mother is outside."

"Visual?" Natalie said. A screen popped up, showing her mother, and she smiled. "Let her in, and tell her where the kitchen is, please," she said.

The screen vanished as JARVIS said, "Already done, Miss McKenzie."

Sure enough, Mrs. McKenzie came into the kitchen carrying a duffel bag over her shoulder, and said, "Hi everyone, I'm Eve McKenzie, Natalie's mother."

"Hi Mrs. McKenzie," said all the children, save Natasha. Natalie smiled at her mother and said, "Hi Mom, thanks for coming. We're just setting out lunch for the kids, but you can set your bag down in the living room if you want."

"Alright," Mrs. McKenzie said. She set the bag down on the sofa, and then came back. Natasha looked up at Natalie, who said, "Это моя мать, Ева МакКензи." _This is my mother, Eve McKenzie._

"Привет миссис Маккензи," Natasha said. "Я Наталья." _Hi Mrs. McKenzie. I'm Natalia._

Mrs. McKenzie looked at Natalie, who said, "Natalia here doesn't speak English, but she says hi. I am SO glad I took Russian now, by the way."

"You're certainly doing a good job of it," Phil said. "I'm fluent too, and you've got a really good grasp of the language."

"Thanks Phil," Natalie said. "I guess I should do introductions. Mom, this is Agent Phil Coulson, and Pepper Potts."

"It's nice to meet you both; please call me Eve," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Nice to meet you too, Eve," Pepper said.

"Same here," Phil said. "Thanks for coming to help us."

"Sure," Mrs. McKenzie said. "It's actually good timing, since my husband wanted some father-son bonding time with our son Kevin, and I needed a vacation anyways."

"I wouldn't call this a 'vacation', but it's good you could come," Natalie said dryly.

"Okay kids, come have a seat; lunch is ready!" Pepper called.

The kids all came over and found seats, after Natalie repeated the message in Russian to Natasha. Pepper started setting out sandwiches, and finally she was left with Clint's cut-up sandwich and apple slices. "We should have gotten a high chair," Phil sighed. "I guess for now Clint can sit on my lap."

Pepper handed him Clint's plate, and he settled the two year old on his lap, putting the plate within easy reach. Clint made a happy noise and grabbed an apple slice, then started gnawing on it. The others were happily eating too, and Loki said, "Lady Natalie, this is really good."

"I'm glad you like it, but Pepper is the one who made these sandwiches, not me," Natalie said.

"Thank you Lady Pepper," Loki said.

"You're welcome Loki," Pepper said, smiling.

"Pepper's awesome!" Tony chirped happily. Pepper laughed and ruffled his hair. "I'm glad you think so, Tony," she said.

"I'm finished, what are we doing next?" Steve asked.

"What would you like to do?" Natalie asked.

"I like drawing," Steve said.

"Okay, does anyone else want to draw?" Natalie asked.

"I would," Bruce said quietly.

"Can I draw too?" Loki asked timidly.

"I wanna draw too!" Tony said.

"I will try it…." Thor said.

"Наталья, остальные все заинтересованы в розыгрыше; ты?" Natalie asked. _Natalia, the others are all interested in drawing; are you?_

"Я люблю рисовать," Natasha said. _I like to draw._

Natalie nodded and said, "Alright, looks like that's everyone except Clint, but he might need a nap soon, he looks kind of tired."

Clint was looking a bit tired, and snuggling against Phil. "I'll put him to bed for a bit; can you ladies handle the others?" Phil asked.

"Of course, we'll be fine," Mrs. McKenzie said. "We do, however, need art supplies."

"Young Mr. Rogers has plenty in his room," JARVIS said, causing Mrs. McKenzie to start.

"I have lots of art supplies here?" Steve asked.

"Yes," JARVIS said.

"Would you mind sharing?" Natalie asked Steve.

"I don't mind; but can you come too, Miss Natalie?" Steve asked.

"Sure, I'll come," Natalie said. She got up and walked with Steve to the elevator, and they went up to his room. Natalie smiled when Steve's eyes lit up at all the art supplies, and he immediately grabbed some. Natalie helped him carry a bunch of paper, markers, and colored pencils back to the kitchen, where Mrs. McKenzie was clearing the table. Natalie and Steve put all the art supplies on the table, and Natalie started passing them out. The kids started drawing, and Natalie went to get herself something to eat.

As she was finishing a sandwich, having been joined by Pepper and Mrs. McKenzie, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, there is an incoming call from Director Fury for you."

"Okay," Natalie said. She went into the living room and said, "Put him through, please."

A holographic screen popped up, and Fury's face came up. "Miss McKenzie, how are things going?" he asked.

"All the kids are drawing except Clint; he's taking a nap and Phil is with him," Natalie said. "What about on your end?"

"We managed to contact Frigga through a device that Dr. Foster had, and she said she'll come as soon as she can," Fury said. "And she says the most likely culprit is a sorceress named Amora, who apparently has some kind of grudge against Loki. It's a possibility that this Amora joined forces with the Chitauri, but we don't know that for sure. According to Frigga, this woman's insane, so be careful."

"I will," Natalie said. Before she could say more, she felt a tug on her pants leg, and looked down to see Tony looking at her. "Are you talking to the pirate guy again?" he asked. "Bruce said to be careful if you are; he might try to kill you."

Natalie bent down and lifted Tony onto her hip, then said, "I'm sure Fury won't kill me, Tony. Besides, he's not really a pirate; he's the leader of a spying organization."

"No talking parrots?" Tony asked.

"No," Fury said dryly. "But I have no intention of killing Miss McKenzie, so you don't have to worry." He looked back at Natalie and said, "I'll be in touch." Then he hung up, and Natalie sighed. Tony wiggled in her arms, and said, "Come see my drawing!"

Natalie smiled. "Okay," she said. She set Tony down, and he ran back to the kitchen, Natalie following. Tony showed her a drawing that appeared to be her and maybe Pepper playing with him. "Is that you, me, and Pepper?" she asked.

"Yep!" Tony said. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Natalie said, smiling. "Should we hang it up?"

"Yeah!" Tony said happily. "Can we put it on the fridge?"

"Sure," Natalie said. "Let's find something to hang it up with."

"There are magnets in the drawer to the right of the sink," Pepper said.

"Great, thanks," Natalie said. She looked in the drawer, and took out a pack of refrigerator magnets. Taking two out, she hung Tony's drawing on the fridge.

Phil came in as the other kids were showing off their drawings, carrying Clint, and asked, "Should I make a trip to the mall? We're going to need clothes for them, and food, and we could use a high chair too."

"That's a good idea," Mrs. McKenzie said. "I was thinking we could take all the kids to the library to get some books, since I doubt there are any children's books here."

"I think it's better if they stay here, considering who they are- and the fact that we don't know exactly when Frigga is coming," Phil said. "I can pick up some books on my way back; maybe they could watch a movie in the meantime?"

"What is a movie?" Loki asked.

"It's a bunch of moving pictures on a screen that tell a story," Pepper said.

"I think I would rather go to the library," Loki said. "I like books."

Natalie felt a tug on her shirt, and looked at Natasha, who looked confused. "О чем они говорят?" she asked. _What are they talking about?_

"Другие, возможно, смотрит кино, но Локи хочет идти в библиотеку вместо этого. Есть ли у вас предпочтения?" Natalie asked. _The others might be watching a movie, but Loki wants to go to the library. Do you have a preference?_

"Если фильм на английском языке, я бы предпочел библиотеку," Natasha said. _If the movie is in English, I would prefer the library._

Natalie turned to the others and said, "Natalia says if the movie's in English, she'd prefer the library. I don't mind taking her and Loki; or Phil could drop us off on the way to the mall."

"Can you and Eve handle the others, Pepper?" Phil asked.

"We'll be fine; you go ahead," Mrs. McKenzie said. "Natalie, don't forget your cell phone."

 **Next up- the library and figuring out whether or not the Avengers and Loki can be fixed! Sorry for the wait! Also, I am making a sequel to this, since I've got all the chapters typed out. Can anyone give me a title for it? Thanks- and don't worry, there's still a lot more chapters. I just thought I'd put that out there. Also, I'm not sure if the Russian in this is strictly correct, since I used a translator and I don't know a single word of Russian.**


	24. Chapter 24

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four: The Library**

Natalie nodded, picking up her purse. She looked at Natasha and said, "Фил собирается отвезти нас в библиотеке; пойдем с нами." _Phil is going to drive us to the library, come with us._

Natasha willingly went to Natalie, who was telling Thor, "You have my word no harm will come to your brother."

Thor still looked a bit wary, but nodded. "Loki, behave for Lady Natalie," he said.

"I will!" Loki said happily.

Natalie took his hand, smiling, and then took Natasha's, leading both children out to Phil's car. She helped them buckle in, patiently answering Loki's questions about the seatbelt, and then got in the passenger seat as Phil started up the car. Phil drove them to the nearest library, and Natalie helped Loki and Natasha out of the car, taking them both by the hand and leading them inside, saying over her shoulder, "Thanks Phil. Can I call you when we're done?"

"I'll pick you up at five; you don't have my number, do you?" Phil asked.

"Good point, see you at five," Natalie said. She took the two kids inside, and asked the librarian at the front desk, "Where is your children's section, please?"

"Next floor up is the children's floor," the woman said. "Hannah can help you with anything you might need; she's the children's librarian."

"Thank you," Natalie said. She led Loki and Natasha upstairs, and asked, "Loki, what kind of stories do you like?"

"I like stories with magic," Loki said. "I wish at home that there were more stories where people won by thinking rather than smashing things."

"I can think of plenty of stories like that," Natalie said. "I have one in mind right now; let's go see if they have it."

Loki nodded eagerly, and after a brief explanation to Natasha, Natalie went up to the children's desk with her two charges, then asked, "Excuse me, do you have any copies of Jack and the Beanstalk?"

"I'm sure we have at least five," the woman laughed. "Would you like me to look it up?"

"That'd be great, thanks," Natalie said.

The woman typed something into her computer, and waited for it to load as she asked, "So are those two yours?"

"No, I'm just taking care of them for a while," Natalie said, smiling. "I thought they'd enjoy the library as a little outing."

"Here we go," the woman said, looking back at the computer. "We have seven different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk; three of them are out right now, but the other four are here, and I can give you the authors' names; we alphabetize all our books by the author's last name."

"Okay, that would be great," Natalie said. The woman wrote down four names, and Natalie took the paper from her. "Thanks," Natalie said, and led Loki and Natasha into the picture books room. There were a few other kids and parents in there, but they were busy reading and playing with the toys, so Natalie went over to the bookcases and started looking for the books. She found one version of Jack and the Beanstalk in the C's, and showed it to Loki and Natasha. "Do you want me to read this to you?" Natalie asked, then repeated the question in Russian.

"You'd read to us? Really?" Loki asked.

"Of course," Natalie said. "I'm going to read each sentence in both Russian and English, though, so I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind; it's been a long time since anyone read to me," Loki said. "Mother and Father both say since I can read on my own, I don't need them to read to me anymore."

"Well, I'm happy to read to you anytime you want, regardless of how old you are," Natalie said. "Come on, let's go find a place to sit down." She repeated that in Russian to Natasha, and they found an unoccupied sofa. Loki and Natasha curled up on either side of her, and listened attentively as she read each sentence of Jack and the Beanstalk first in English, then in Russian, using different voices for the different characters.

After finishing the book, Natalie noticed she had gathered a few more children around her, and that they had been listening as she read. "You do great voices!" one little boy said.

Natalie smiled. "Thank you," she said.

A woman who looked like she might be the boy's mother came over and said, "I noticed you were reading in two languages; may I ask what the second language was?"

"Russian," Natalie said. "Natalia here doesn't speak English yet, so since I'm fluent in both English and Russian, I can translate the book as well as read it."

"Is she adopted, then?" the woman asked.

"No, I'm taking care of her and Loki here for their respective families," Natalie said. "They both seemed interested in the library, so I took them here for a bit. By the way, do you have any recommendations for stories where the hero wins by outthinking his or her opponent?"

The woman blinked, startled, and then said, "Not offhand, but there's a section for fairytales over in the corner by the window."

"Thank you," Natalie said. She looked at Loki and asked, "Loki, would you like to choose a book this time?"

"It's okay for me to pick?" Loki asked shyly.

"Of course; why wouldn't it be?" Natalie asked.

"Last time I wanted a story, Thor said it was boring and Mother said we could read what he wanted instead," Loki said. "When I protested she sent me to my room." He sounded sad as he said, "My parents don't have time for me."

One of the mothers who had come over looked at Natalie. "If this little boy is being neglected, is there a reason you haven't done anything?" she asked.

"His parents aren't U.S. citizens; legally I can't do anything," Natalie said gloomily. "Believe me, if I could, I would have adopted Loki myself by now. There's literally nothing I can do, or I would have done it already. The best I can do is try to give him a normal childhood when they leave him with me- which is fairly often."

Her cell phone rang then, and she said, "Excuse me a minute." She picked up, and heard Phil say, _"Natalie, I'm coming to get you a bit early; can you pack the kids up and meet me out front?"_

"Sure," Natalie said.

" _Thanks,"_ Phil said, and hung up.

Natalie put her phone away and said, "Looks like our ride is on his way; we'd better get going." She repeated this in Russian to Natasha, who nodded and slipped off the sofa. Natalie got up too, and Loki followed suit as she said to the woman she had been talking to, "We have to go."

"Alright; take good care of them," the woman said.

"I will," Natalie said. She gently took Loki and Natasha by the hand, and led them outside. Phil pulled up a minute later, and Natalie got the kids into the car, then got in as Phil asked, "How'd it go?"

"I read them Jack and the Beanstalk, and gathered an audience with my storytelling," Natalie said. "So what's the urgency?"

"Frigga is at the Tower," Phil said. "And apparently Odin came with her."

"What did HE come for?" Natalie snapped.

"I believe he is needed to help break the spell," Phil said. "But considering I don't know much about magic, I could be wrong."

Natalie sighed as Phil parked the car, and they got Natasha and Loki out before going up to the living room in the elevator.

They found all the other kids in there, looking at Odin warily. Even Thor looked somewhat unsettled, and Natalie asked in a tone of forced calm, "So, what did we miss?"

"Let's just say I was less than pleased that Frigga brought the man who kidnapped my son to use as some kind of offering here," Mrs. McKenzie said bitterly.

"So can you two fix this or not?" Natalie asked Frigga.

"I can fix it; Odin is here to collect Amora and ensure she doesn't give you all anymore trouble," Frigga said.

"Then why is he still here?" Natalie asked bitterly. "Frigga, I've pretty much come to terms with you, but there is no chance I will EVER forgive or even try to forgive Odin for what he's done. He's a monster, and nothing anyone can say will change my mind on that."

Frigga sighed. "I know," she said softly. She turned to Odin and said, "Go find Amora, and bring her back to Asgard. I will handle things here; it has been made abundantly clear that you are far from welcome."

Odin sighed, and then vanished. Frigga sighed again and said, "I will turn your friends back now, but it would be easier if they were all in one place."

Natalie repeated her words to Natasha in Russian, and Natasha and Loki headed over to the other kids. When they were all standing in one place, Frigga went over and waved her hands, muttering under her breath. As Natalie, her mother, Pepper, and Phil watched, the Avengers and Loki began to grow, slowly at first, then faster until they were back to normal. They looked around, confused, and finally Tony asked, "What just happened?"

"You and everyone except me and Phil got changed into children by someone called Amora, and Frigga just changed you all back," Natalie said.

"How did you manage not to get turned into a child as well?" Loki asked.

"I was out buying more strawberry Pop-Tarts at the time you all got hit with Amora's spell, and Phil was at SHIELD headquarters," Natalie said dryly.

"We have more strawberry Pop-Tarts now?" Thor asked excitedly.

"Yes, but say thank you to your mother before you start eating them," Natalie said.

Thor smiled and said to Frigga, "Thank you for turning us back, Mother."

"Yeah, thanks," the others chorused.

Frigga smiled and said, "You are most welcome." She looked at Natalie, and asked, "Natalie, may we talk in private?"

"Alright," Natalie said. "Is mine and Loki's room okay?"

"That is fine," Frigga said, smiling slightly. Natalie nodded and led the way to the elevator, and then to her room. She let Frigga in first, and closed the door behind them. Motioning to the sofa, she said, "Please have a seat."

Frigga gracefully settled down on the sofa, and Natalie sat on the bed, waiting for Frigga to speak. Frigga finally sighed and asked, "Were you aware that Loki and I have been in infrequent telepathic contact?"

"No, he never told me that," Natalie said, surprised.

Frigga smiled slightly, and said, "He mainly wanted ideas on how to court you, but recently he asked me a question that I was surprised he hadn't asked sooner."

"What was it?" Natalie asked.

"He asked me if I was amenable to the idea of giving you a chance to be with him forever," Frigga said. She smiled when Natalie looked shocked, and said, "I told him that if that was truly what you both wanted, I would be happy to give you one of Idunn's golden apples. We retain our youth by eating them, and if you were to eat one, you would become immortal." She sighed, and said, "I have made too many mistakes in the past to not offer you this chance, Natalie. You are the only person to every have made Loki this happy, and I would be a fool to let this last chance for him to be happy forever slip by."

Natalie was completely shocked. "He loves me that much?" she asked.

"He does," Frigga said, smiling. "Do you love him?"

"I do," Natalie replied. "I was worrying about this topic, though, since I knew from the start that one day I'd die, and he'd be left alone again. I never want to leave him alone again."

"Then do you accept?" Frigga asked. "I was planning on giving you the golden apple for your birthday."

"I would be honored to accept," Natalie replied, smiling.

Frigga smiled back, and said, "Then I will speak with Loki, and I will be back to celebrate your birthday with you. Two weeks from tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "I'm impressed you remember."

Frigga smiled and said, "I have a very good memory. Shall we rejoin the others so that I may talk with Loki?"

"Of course," Natalie said. She stood, and Frigga did the same, following her to the elevator and then back to the living room.

The others were waiting, and Loki looked at Frigga with hope in his eyes. She smiled. "She said yes to the idea," Frigga said. "I will return on her birthday."

"Your birthday's coming up, Natalie?" Tony asked.

"Two weeks from tomorrow," Natalie said.

"We should have a party!" Tony said excitedly.

"I can make the cake," Mrs. McKenzie said.

"Great!" Tony said. "Are we having it here or at your house?"

"Natalie?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.

"Here might be better, considering the amount of people," Natalie said. "You don't mind bringing the cake here, do you?"

"Not at all," Mrs. McKenzie said. She looked at Frigga, and asked, "What was the idea you mentioned that Natalie said yes to?"

"Loki asked me if it was possible to make Natalie immortal," Frigga said. "She told me she would be honored, so that will be my birthday present to her. I've got a pretty good idea of what Loki's planning, but I'll keep that bit a secret." She tilted her head a bit, and said, "It seems it is time for me to return. I will be back for Natalie's party- and this time Odin shall not be accompanying me."

"Thank you," Natalie said.

"It is I who should thank you," Frigga said, smiling before vanishing.

"Natalie, who's turn is it for therapy today?" Steve asked after a minute.

"It's yours," Natalie said. "Did you have something to talk about?"

"Yeah," Steve said. "Where are we doing this?"

"Wherever you're most comfortable," Natalie said.

"Can we go to my room?" Steve asked.

"Sure," Natalie said. "Let me just get the form I need you to sign, and then I'll meet you there, okay?"

"Okay," Steve said. They went to the elevator, and took it first to Natalie and Loki's floor, where Natalie got out and went to her room. Steve went up another floor, and Natalie joined him soon after, with a pen and the privacy agreement. When they were both settled, Natalie handed Steve the paper and pen, saying, "Read this over; it's basically an agreement stating that I will never tell anyone what's said in here without your express permission, unless you tell me you plan to hurt yourself or someone else."

Steve read the agreement and signed it, then handed it back to Natalie, who also signed it before setting it aside. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

Steve looked slightly uncomfortable as he said, "Tony's having panic attacks, and I want to know how I can help him."

"Do you know what's triggering them?" Natalie asked.

"I think it's the darkness of the room, since he's having them mainly at night," Steve said. He blushed a little as he said, "We've been sleeping together."

"Tony's afraid of the dark?" Natalie asked.

"I don't think that's it, exactly," Steve said. "During the battle we had with Loki, Tony flew a missile into the portal Loki had opened into outer space. Frankly it's a miracle he came back; we all thought it would be a one-way trip. Even Tony thought that he wouldn't be coming back, but he fell out of the portal just before it closed. I think that experience is still haunting him, though, and being in the dark isn't helping. He wakes up gasping for air, and when he sees that it's still dark, he panics until I turn the light on and start talking to him."

"I think the simplest solution there is to get a nightlight," Natalie commented. "It'll make the room less dark if Tony wakes up."

"That's a good idea," Steve said. "I'll talk with him about it."

Before Natalie could reply, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Captain Rogers, there is a situation in the communal training room; the others could use your assistance."

 **Cliffie! Hope you enjoyed this!**


	25. Chapter 25

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five: Flashbacks and Rhodey**

"What happened?" Natalie asked.

"Agent Barton apparently thought pushing Sir underwater would be amusing," JARVIS replied.

"Oh _God,"_ Natalie gasped, and ran for the door. Steve followed, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Have you read Tony's file?" Natalie asked as they ran for the elevator.

"Not much of it," Steve said. "Does this have something to do with Afghanistan?"

"Part of the torture he went through was being held underwater," Natalie said grimly. The elevator dinged, and Natalie and Steve ran out, headed for the training room. Natalie flung the door open, causing the others in there to look up. Tony was curled up on the floor, shaking, and Natalie went over, kneeling next to him but not touching him. "Tony?" she asked gently, keeping her voice soft. "Tony, can you hear me? It's okay now, you're safe." She continued softly reassuring Tony until he started to relax, and after about ten minutes, he looked up at her. "Natalie?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm right here," Natalie said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone tried to drown me," Tony said. "Who was that, anyways?"

"Clint," Natalie said grimly. "Apparently he thought it would be amusing."

"How exactly is making me relive Afghanistan 'amusing'?" Tony asked bitterly, sitting up.

"It's not," Natalie said.

"How did you know?" Tony asked.

"JARVIS informed me and Steve that Clint had pushed you underwater, and that we were needed down here," Natalie replied. "But if you meant how did I know that Clint pushing you underwater would most likely trigger a flashback, it's because I have access to your SHIELD file."

"Oh," Tony said. "I think I'll just go back to the lab for the rest of the day…."

"Should I let you know when dinner's ready?" Natalie asked.

"Sure," Tony said. He got up and left, ignoring the others. Natalie got up too, and looked at Steve. "Do you want to continue our meeting now or another time?" she asked.

"Can we do it another time?" Steve asked.

"Sure, how about we continue tomorrow after Natasha's time with me," Natalie suggested.

"Sounds fine," Steve said, and left. Natalie turned back to the others in the room, and noticed Clint looked really guilty. She walked over to him, and asked, "What did you learn today?"

"That I should never push Tony underwater for any reason," Clint said gloomily.

"What brought that on, anyways?" Natalie asked.

"Tony was laughing his head off at Clint because Loki had turned his hair green, and apparently Clint wanted some form of revenge," Bruce said. "Natasha and I were at the other end of the pool, and didn't notice what was happening until Tony started panicking."

"Where is Loki?" Natalie asked.

"I think he went back upstairs," Natasha said.

"I think I'll go find him," Natalie said. "When do you guys want dinner?"

"I'll cook, don't worry about it," Bruce said. "Have fun with Loki."

"Alright, thanks Bruce," Natalie said, and left.

She found Loki in their room, reading, and he looked up as she came in. "Is Tony okay?" he asked.

"I think he will be," Natalie said. "Physically, he should be fine, but emotionally is a different issue. I saw that Steve went after him, so I decided to come find you."

"I am glad, I wished to speak with you," Loki said.

"What about?" Natalie asked. She knew he reverted to his old-fashioned way of speaking when he was nervous, and that's what he was doing at the moment.

"Do you really want to be with me forever?" Loki asked.

Anyone else probably would have been hurt by that question- but Natalie only saw Loki's self-esteem issues kicking in, and replied, "Yes. This isn't a trick or some plot, Loki. This is real, and I really do love you and want to be with you forever."

"How can you be sure?" Loki mumbled. "Forever's a long time."

Natalie sat next to him and said, "Let me tell you a secret." Loki looked at her, and she said, "Before I met you, I didn't want to live much past ninety. I've seen how most old people get by that age; they can't take care of themselves, and it's left up to their children to care for them or arrange to get them help. But then I fell in love with you, and decided that maybe living a very long life wouldn't be so bad, if I could make you happy. You being happy makes me happy too."

"You're amazing," Loki said after a minute, and kissed her.

Natalie kissed him back until they were both breathless, and they pulled apart to look at each other. Loki looked genuinely happy, and Natalie smiled. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much," Loki said, and captured her lips with his again.

 _ **Half an hour later:**_ Loki and Natalie were still kissing, and therefore they got startled when there was a knock on the door. "Hey you two, dinner's ready!" Clint's voice called.

Natalie and Loki reluctantly got up and went to the door, opening it. "Having fun in there?" Clint asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Natalie blushed as Loki said, "We were kissing."

"Well, now you're coming downstairs to eat," Clint said, and headed for the elevator, followed by Loki and Natalie.

The kitchen smelled like Indian food, and Natalie noticed that Bruce had apparently made some kind of curry. She and Loki sat down next to each other, and Natalie noticed Tony was there, but he was pretty quiet, avoiding making eye contact with anyone. The others had obviously noticed, because everyone looked worried. "Tony?" Clint asked hesitantly.

"What, Barton?" Tony asked coldly.

"Are you okay?" Clint asked, sounding tentative.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Tony asked sarcastically. "Everyone's treating me like glass, and you tried to drown me. So yeah, I'm fine. Was there anything else, or can I go back to my lab?"

"I'm sorry," Clint said. "I shouldn't have pushed you underwater from behind, much less at all."

Tony stared at Clint for a minute before saying, "Thanks for apologizing. NOW will you all stop treating me like I'm breakable?"

The others nodded, and the rest of dinner was achieved without incident. As Natalie and Loki started cleaning up, Tony said, "Oh, by the way, Rhodey's coming over tomorrow. He'll be here for a few days."

"Did you warn him about the 'no drinking' thing we've got going?" Bruce asked.

"Uh…." Tony said.

"Thought so," Bruce said. "And what are you planning to do about that tradition you told me about?"

"Tradition?" Natalie asked.

"Ever since we met at MIT, Rhodey and I have had a tradition of getting drunk every time one of us falls in love," Tony said. "It's basically so we can loosen up enough to actually talk about our feelings."

"You're not going to nearly kill yourself again, though, right?" Natalie asked.

"Wasn't planning on it," Tony said.

"Fine…." Natalie said.

Tony looked startled, and asked, "You're not going to tell me not to get drunk?"

"No," Natalie said. "All I ask is that you and Rhodey don't drink around me. And that you don't get alcohol poisoning."

"Okay!" Tony said, perking up.

Natalie and Loki went upstairs soon after, and when they reached their room, Loki asked, "Natalie, are you really okay with this?"

"No, but I don't want to make Tony and his friend unhappy," Natalie said. "I'll be fine if they don't drink around me."

Loki sighed but didn't pursue the issue.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie got up and showered, then came out, noticing Loki was waking up. "Loki, I'm going to make breakfast," she told him.

"I'll be down soon," Loki said sleepily.

Natalie smiled; he was cute when he was sleepy. She left the room and went down to the kitchen, where she found the coffee brewing, but no one there. Sighing, she got out the ingredients for French toast, and started making some for everyone. Steve was the first to come in, followed by Tony, Bruce, and finally Loki. "Natasha and Clint got called out," Steve said.

"Okay," Natalie said. She put the last piece of French toast on a platter, then took it to the table. Steve had set the table, and Natalie got out maple syrup, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. She set all that on the table, and then sat down with the others to eat. Suddenly she remembered something, and said, "I guess I'll have to reschedule with Natasha if she's gone."

"Her turn was today?" Tony asked.

"Yep," Natalie said. "Is your friend's name actually Rhodey, or does he have another name?"

"His real name is James Rhodes, I just call him Rhodey," Tony said. "He should be here soon."

 _ **Not even ten minutes later:**_ "Sir, Colonel Rhodes has arrived," JARVIS announced.

Tony's face lit up, and he got up as a tall black man came in. They hugged, and when they broke apart, Steve saluted Rhodey and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel Rhodes."

Rhodey saluted back, and said, "Likewise, Captain Rogers." Then he noticed Natalie, and looked at Tony. "New addition to the team?" he asked.

"This is Natalie McKenzie, our team therapist," Tony said. "And her boyfriend Loki."

"It's nice to meet you, Colonel Rhodes," Natalie said, shaking his hand.

"You too, Natalie," Rhodey said. "And please call me Rhodey; Tony does. Having any luck with him, by the way?"

"Yes, actually," Natalie said. "He's much more open now than he was when we first met."

"Oi, I'm right here," Tony said indignantly.

"Sorry," Natalie said. "I've had more luck with you than anyone else on this team aside from Bruce, so you should be proud of yourself."

Rhodey groaned. "That's an open invitation for him to start gloating," he said. "And why is the guy who tried to destroy Manhattan and take over the world here?"

"Loki was under mind control during that time," Natalie said calmly. "He's not anymore, which means he's perfectly safe. He and Tony get along really well. Clint's the one you want to watch out for- he apparently doesn't like being pranked, and keeps trying to shoot Loki. Which is very hypocritical, given his penchant for pranking the hell out of anyone who catches his eye."

"Is there a reason the military doesn't know about this?" Rhodey asked.

"SHIELD knows," Tony said. "And Fury made Natalie responsible for Loki's actions after she threatened to castrate him if he took Loki away. You really don't want to get Natalie to go into overprotective mode- it's kind of scary."

"I'm going to the training room," Natalie announced suddenly. She left, and when she was gone, Loki sighed.

"Something wrong?" Tony asked.

"Natalie's not doing well with your plans for the night, but she doesn't want to make you unhappy," Loki said.

"You mean getting drunk and talking?" Rhodey asked.

"Yes," Loki said. "Natalie is terrified of drunk people, alcoholics, and alcohol itself. And the last time Tony got drunk, he nearly died of alcohol poisoning. He stopped drinking altogether after that, but I think that now that you two are planning on getting drunk, it's bringing back bad memories. I can tell that she's scared, and that's probably why she's in the training room right now; she's trying to work through her feelings through gymnastics."

Rhodey looked at Tony, and asked, "You nearly DIED?"

"Natalie saved my life," Tony said. "She was the one who noticed something was wrong, and she kicked down my door and called 911. Much later, and I probably would have died, according to the doctors. I've been sober since then, and so has everyone else living here- not that they had my problem."

Rhodey was silent for a few minutes, and then he said, "Maybe…. we should rethink the drinking part of tonight. We can talk without drinking, right?"

"I'm getting better at it," Tony said. "I don't think there's any alcohol in the house anyways. The others go out to bars if they want a drink."

"Then let's skip the drinking part and just talk," Rhodey said.

"Okay," Tony said.

"You should let Natalie know what the new plan is," Loki commented.

"You're right," Tony said, and headed for the training room, followed by Rhodey.

They found Natalie doing gymnastics, and as they watched, she launched herself into midair and did two perfect front flips before landing. She noticed them as she turned, and came over, then said, "Hi, what's up?"

"We decided that we're just going to talk tonight, not get drunk or even drink at all," Tony said.

Natalie sighed. "Loki told you, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tony said.

"I don't want to make you unhappy," Natalie said.

"We'll be fine," Rhodey said. "After hearing Tony nearly died, I'm not too big on the idea of him drinking either. Especially since if we get drunk together, I won't be able to help much if he gets alcohol poisoning. We really don't mind, Natalie."

The relief on Natalie's face was obvious, and Tony said, "I'm sorry for scaring you again."

"Thanks," Natalie said softly.

 **Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	26. Chapter 26

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Six: Nightmare and Thor's Therapy**

 _ **Later that night….**_ Loki woke up abruptly, because Natalie was shaking in his arms. He tried waking her up, but she wouldn't even open her eyes. Suddenly she started talking in some language Loki was pretty sure was Russian, and the main word that stood out was 'Tony'.

After another failed attempt at waking Natalie, Loki asked, "JARVIS, where is Tony?"

"Sir is in his room, talking with Colonel Rhodes," JARVIS replied. Loki immediately got up and teleported into Tony's private living room, causing both Tony and Rhodey to jump. "Jeez Reindeer Games, don't do that!" Tony said.

"Natalie is having some kind of panic attack and she keeps saying your name; I need you to come see if you can wake her up," Loki said. "Nothing I've tried is working." Without waiting for a response, he grabbed Tony's arm and teleported back to his and Natalie's room.

They found Natalie curled into a ball, crying. Tony went over and asked hesitantly, "Natalie?"

Natalie's eyes shot open, and she sat bolt upright, startling Tony and Loki. "Natalie, what happened?" Loki asked.

Natalie started talking really fast in Russian, and Tony said, "Um…. Could you speak English?"

Natalie stopped talking, and then said shakily, "Sorry."

"What happened?" Tony asked.

"I-I saw Thanos, and he killed you," Natalie said shakily. "Loki tried to save you, but Thanos did something, and he was frozen, and Thanos killed you. I was seeing this from Loki's perspective, and it was so real…."

Tony pulled her into his arms and said, "I'm not going to die anytime soon, I promise. I thought you said you couldn't get nightmares, though."

"I can't…." Natalie said. "I should call my dad tomorrow; he might have an idea of what's going on."

"Why were you speaking Russian?" Tony asked.

"It's a quirk," Natalie said. "When I'm really flustered or scared, I start speaking Russian. Sometimes when I'm really angry, too. I don't usually notice, though, so thanks for reminding me."

"You're fluent in Russian?" Tony asked, interested.

"Yeah," Natalie said. She was calmer now, and continued, "It came in handy when you and everyone else got turned into children; Natasha didn't speak English, and apparently Phil doesn't speak enough Russian to completely understand her."

"Does Natasha know this?" Tony asked.

"I'm not sure," Natalie said. "I forgot to tell her, and apparently it wasn't in that creepy file Fury made on me, because he was surprised when I started speaking Russian."

She looked guilty when Tony yawned, and said, "Sorry for keeping you up…."

"It's fine," Tony said. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, thanks," Natalie said, letting go of him. "You should get some rest; it's your turn for therapy tomorrow."

"Just out of curiosity, do you plan to see Thor as well?" Loki asked.

"I guess I didn't think of that," Natalie said. "I was going to save the weekends for you, but do you think Thor should get therapy too?"

"I think it's a good idea," Tony said. "Point Break's gone through a lot- maybe he didn't have it as hard as the rest of us, but he could still use the help. And he and Loki could both use a mediator to work their issues out."

"Okay," Natalie said. "I'll talk with him about it." She yawned, and Tony grinned, then got up. "See you two in the morning," he said.

"Thanks," Natalie said.

Tony smiled and headed out as Loki climbed back into bed with Natalie. They curled up together and fell back to sleep.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie got up as Loki was waking up, and took a shower, then got out her cell phone. "Who are you calling?" Loki asked sleepily.

"My dad," Natalie said. She dialed her parents' number, and waited. After three rings, her father picked up and asked, _"Natalie?"_

"Hi Dad," Natalie said. "I called because I had a nightmare last night; isn't that supposed to be impossible?"

" _Whose point of view was the nightmare from?"_ Mr. McKenzie asked.

"I was looking through Loki's eyes," Natalie replied.

" _That was most likely his nightmare, then,"_ Mr. McKenzie said grimly. _"I assume I didn't tell you that you can get other people's nightmares if you've been in their mind?"_

"I didn't know that," Natalie said. "Is there a way to stop that?"

" _I don't think so, but I'll look at the Book and get back to you as soon as I can,"_ Mr. McKenzie said. _"I have to go to work; take care."_

"Thanks Dad, you too," Natalie said, and hung up. Loki looked at her questioningly, and she said, "Apparently I can get the nightmares of people whose minds I've been in."

"I don't remember dreaming what you described," Loki said.

"That's because your nightmare was transferred to me before you were aware you were having it," Natalie said. "I'm going to see if anyone's up and make breakfast; come down when you're ready."

"Okay," Loki said. "Is your father going to find a solution to this?"

"He said he'd look, but that he doesn't know of a solution offhand," Natalie said. Loki nodded and headed off to take a shower.

Natalie went downstairs, and found Steve in the kitchen, taking what looked like blueberry muffins out of the oven. Thor was watching him eagerly. "Those smell like heaven," Natalie commented. "Is anyone else up?"

"Just me and Thor," Steve said. "I guess Tony and Colonel Rhodes were up late."

"Doesn't surprise me," Natalie said. She looked at Thor, and giggled. "Thor, you look like a puppy with that expression," she said.

"They smell delicious," Thor said defensively.

"Point," Natalie said. "I was wondering, would you be interested in therapy too? I'm doing it for everyone else, I should have asked you earlier."

"What exactly is therapy?" Thor asked. "We do not have such a thing on Asgard."

"There are different kinds, but I'm trained in talk therapy, which basically means you can talk to me about your problems, worries, fears- anything you want to, really," Natalie explained. "I thought it might help you work through some of the issues you seem to have connecting with Loki. And anything you might have to say is private; I won't tell others unless you tell me it's okay to do so."

"I will think about it," Thor said. "It is not the warrior's way to ask for that kind of help."

"That's probably why Loki was broken almost beyond repair when I met him," Natalie said, sounding bitterer than she had intended to.

The bitterness was not lost on Thor, who flinched a bit. Natalie noticed, but said nothing, instead taking a muffin off the plate Steve had set on the table, and biting into it, good mood dimmed.

Loki, Tony, Rhodey, and Bruce came in soon after, and noticed the uncomfortable silence. "Uh…. what happened?" Tony asked.

"Apparently warriors don't like the idea of therapy," Natalie said. "Makes me wonder how Asgardians live so long….."

"They also believe suicide is the height of dishonor," Loki said dryly. "As is asking for help with problems. It's considered dishonorable to have fears or issues like I do. And most, if not all, of the warriors on Asgard are brainless idiots. The basic battle strategy there is charge first, think later."

"…How exactly do they win wars again?" Natalie asked. "That is quite possibly the worst strategy I've EVER heard."

"Agreed," Steve said. "We at least plan things out here. With that philosophy, you'd think all of Asgard would be dead by now."

"And anyone who fights differently is shunned," Loki said, then added grouchily, "And Thor wonders why I 'fell' off the Bifrost…."

"YOU FELL ON PURPOSE!?" Thor roared.

Loki gave him a dry look and asked, "Did you really think I'd continue on when you and everyone else thought of me as a failure, shunned me, ridiculed me, and beat me? That was the perfect opportunity to end it and still make it look like I didn't commit suicide. To everyone else, it would simply look like I fell. Of course, that didn't exactly work out, and I got captured by the Chitauri, mind-controlled by Thanos and the Other, and tortured by all of the above. Until I met Natalie, I had absolutely no reason to live."

Thor looked completely shattered as Steve asked, "Why did you end up in Natalie's living room, anyways?"

"My best guess is that my magic took me there as a safe place, since I messed up the teleportation by thinking about wanting to be safe rather than focusing on a specific image," Loki said. "I am still amazed that she took me in."

"You had the flu; there's no way I'd kick someone out without at least getting them medical help, and something about helping you just felt right," Natalie said. "How did Thor find you, by the way?"

"I can sense Loki's magic," Thor said, sounding gloomy. "I could sense that he was not far away, and when I got a clear lock on Loki's location, I summoned Mjolnir to take me there." He looked at Loki, and asked, "Would you have preferred it if I had not come to find you?"

Loki looked like he was going to give some kind of snarky retort, but Natalie shot him a Look, and he said, "I wouldn't change what has happened since I returned to Earth. True, I would have been happy with Natalie alone, but now I have other friends- which is a luxury I did not have growing up. Growing up, I only had you and Mother, and that was only when you weren't busy. No one else liked me or had time for me, and when someone did notice me, they would either ignore me right away, taunt me, or beat me up. And eventually, you joined the crowd of people who ignored and taunted me. You and your friends were downright cruel to me most of the time, constantly teasing me about hiding in the library, and not being a true warrior because I used magic and actually thought before charging in. Everyone scorned me because I could not best you at any of the things you enjoyed, and when it came to things I enjoyed, even though I was a prodigy at many things, I was still scorned because I wasn't a prodigy at the 'right' things. I am happier now, with Natalie, then I have been since I was capable of understanding what was going on around me."

Thor looked like a kicked puppy, and Natalie sighed. "Thor, therapy is now mandatory for you," she said. "Let's go. Tony, I hope you don't mind waiting."

"I need coffee," Tony said.

Loki snorted, and Tony glared at him.

Natalie sighed again, and looked at Thor. He sighed and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you're comfortable- your room, the training room, I don't mind," Natalie said. "We could even go to my room."

"I think that is a good idea," Thor said. Natalie led the way to the elevator, then back to her room. She noticed that Thor relaxed somewhat when he stepped inside, and filed that under 'think about it later.' "Have a seat," she told Thor.

He sat on the sofa, and Natalie sat down in a chair across from him. She looked at Thor for a moment before saying, "I want you to really think about how you really treated Loki all these years, Thor. I think you don't tend to notice things as much as he does, and from what I've heard, most of your stories about your adventures are greatly embellished. The main problems I see right now are that you are trying to reconnect to Loki, and he's not very receptive to that. I want you to really think about why that would be."

Thor sighed. "I know why he is mad at me, and why he will not forgive me; it just hurts so much that I do not show it," he said. "I have willingly ignored or discredited Loki many a time, I have made many mistakes, one of which led to him losing his children, and when he was being tortured, I was too busy wallowing in grief and self-pity to notice that he was in fact alive. When he fell from the Bifrost, I lost all hope of ever seeing my brother again. When I did see him again, he was different, and I could not see past my belief that he had betrayed me. Had I done so, I might have noticed he was being controlled. I could have saved him, but I was too lost in grief and rage to notice that he was suffering too. I listened to my father, believing he was right in all things, and looking back, I see more and more signs that my father's punishments of Loki were wrong. I let my father lock Loki up and obeyed him when he said I was to come here and get Loki back so he could lock him up again. It took your actions to make me see that my whole life, I had been wrong, and my father, who I thought knew everything and was always right in his decisions, had been more wrong than I. I have done a lot of thinking since I met you, and your impassioned speeches in Loki's defense have made me see how utterly wrong I was to treat Loki the way I did. It may be too late for me to make amends, but I would still like to try."

"Maybe we should ask Loki how he really feels, then," Natalie said.

Thor looked at her quizzically, and she said, "He's been listening outside the door the entire time."

Sure enough, a muffled curse came from outside the room, and Natalie called, "Loki, get in here!"

The door opened a minute later, and a very irritable Loki asked, "How did you know I was there?"

"I can sense when you're nearby," Natalie said, smirking. "So, what do you think of Thor's speech?"

"Can I speak with Thor alone?" Loki asked.

"Sure," Natalie said. "I'll go see if there are any more blueberry muffins." She left, softly closing the door behind her.

Loki sighed and looked at Thor. "Since I know I'll get lectured later, I will tell you the truth," Loki said.

Thor looked at him, and Loki continued, "I don't hate you, Thor. I don't always agree with you, and some things you have done I can't really forgive, but I don't hate you. Maybe I never have, but for a while I was too broken to notice anything but my own pain. I resented the fact that you were always the favorite, and that you chose your friends over me, but I'm not sure I ever truly hated you. I certainly don't right now, and despite our past problems, I've been informed that living in the past is bad for us. You are still my brother, despite our origins, and I would like to rekindle what we had when we were children."

Loki looked aside, blushing slightly- until Thor swept him up into his arms. Loki sighed, but actually hugged back this time as Thor said, "Brother, it is good to have you back."

"I am also glad to have you back," Loki said softly.

It was some time before they broke apart, but finally they stopped hugging, and smiled at each other. Then Thor asked, "So when do you plan to ask Natalie to wed you?"

"I want to propose on her birthday," Loki said. "Mother has agreed to give her one of Idunn's golden apples. Will you be giving her a gift?"

Thor looked worried, and asked, "What should I get her?"

"Why not ask Mother for advice on necklaces?" Loki asked. "I have noticed Natalie likes necklaces. The one she is wearing now is getting rather frayed."

"I shall do so then," Thor replied. "Shall we tell Natalie that we have reconciled?"

"Good idea," Loki said.

 **Sorry for the wait; I hope you enjoyed!**


	27. Chapter 27

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven: Field Trip**

 _ **Meanwhile, downstairs:**_ Natalie was rinsing the dishes from breakfast and putting them in the dishwasher when Thor and Loki came downstairs, both grinning ear to ear. "I take it you worked things out?" she asked, amused.

"Yes, we did," Loki said.

Natalie smiled brightly and said, "I'm glad. I have to go find Tony and drag him to therapy, but after I'm done, would you like to go somewhere? I don't think you've seen much of the city, have you?"

Loki's face lit up, and he said, "I would like that."

"Great!" Natalie said. "See you later, then!" She skipped off, and Thor chuckled. "I believe I will go back to Asgard and ask Mother about necklaces," he said. "Have fun with Natalie."

"I will," Loki said happily. Thor clapped him on the shoulder, and left to call Heimdall.

 _ **With Natalie:**_ Natalie found Tony in his lab, working on one of his suits, and waited as he looked up. "It's my turn today?" he asked.

"Yup," Natalie said. She set her confidentiality agreement on Tony's worktable, and he looked at her, puzzled. "Steve told me you don't like being handed things, so I figured I'd just set the confidentiality agreement out and you could sign it," she said.

"Thanks," Tony said. He got up and looked at the agreement, then signed it. Natalie signed it too, and set it aside before asking, "So what do you want to talk about today?"

"I don't know; do we have to talk about feelings?" Tony asked.

"That's generally the idea behind therapy," Natalie said dryly. "Have you talked to anyone about the battle with Loki?"

Tony flinched, and Natalie said, "I'll take that as a no. Tony, the only way I can help you is if you let me. You seemed to feel better after you and I talked the day after you got alcohol poisoning."

Tony thought about that, then finally said, "You're right, I did feel better. But why the battle with Loki?"

"You're having panic attacks as a result of that," Natalie said bluntly.

"Are you the reason Steve bought a nightlight?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"That was my suggestion, yes," Natalie replied. "Is being in the dark hard for you?"

Tony sighed. "It's been hard since Afghanistan, but after I took that missile through Loki's portal, and fully accepted that I was going to die, it got a lot harder when I ended up surviving," he said. "I can't be in the dark for very long without having a panic attack, which is why I often sleep down here with the lights on. But since I started sleeping with Steve, I have to be in the dark."

"Does the nightlight help?" Natalie asked.

Tony looked vaguely uncomfortable, and Natalie sighed. "You're not using it, are you?" she asked. "Really, Tony, it's fine to be stubborn about some things, but no one's going to judge you for having a nightlight- or if they do, send them to me and I'll set them straight for you."

"I don't know how you do that," Tony grumbled.

"Practice," Natalie said casually. "So are you going to try using the nightlight?"

"Just don't tell Clint; I'll never hear the end of it," Tony said.

"I won't tell Clint anything," Natalie said. "Do you think talking about the battle with Loki will help?"

Before Tony could respond, JARVIS informed them, "Sir, Miss McKenzie, Miss Potts is on her way to your lab; should I tell her you are busy?"

"If she's not waiting I'd say it means I forgot something like a press conference," Tony sighed. "Let her in."

Pepper came in two minutes later, and Tony asked, "What's up, Pep?"

"Did you listen to a word I said on the phone yesterday?" Pepper asked.

"You called me yesterday?" Tony asked.

Pepper groaned. "I scheduled a press conference for you, and you're supposed to be there in two hours!" she said exasperatedly.

"Why did you schedule a press conference for me?" Tony asked, puzzled.

"So you can discredit all the rumors I've heard that Natalie here is your latest conquest!" Pepper said.

"WHAT!?" Tony and Natalie shouted in unison.

Pepper groaned and said, "Someone saw you two in a mall, and assumed you were together, and the rumors are everywhere. Especially after the report on CNN after you got alcohol poisoning."

"Do I need to go too?" Natalie asked apprehensively.

"No, Tony just needs to tell everyone that he's not in a relationship with you," Pepper said, smiling at her. Then she looked at Tony and said, "Go get cleaned up. NOW."

Tony slumped and sulkily left. Pepper sighed, and said, "Sorry for interrupting his therapy; I thought he'd have listened."

"It's fine, I think I got my point across," Natalie said. "This just means I can go out with Loki sooner. I said I'd show him around a bit, since he's never really seen much of the city."

"Sounds like a good plan, I'm sure he'll enjoy it," Pepper said. "I'd better go make sure Tony's not dawdling."

The two women walked out together, and Natalie took the elevator back to the kitchen, while Pepper continued up to the penthouse floor.

Natalie was surprised to find Loki sitting at the table with another woman, and they looked up as she came in. "Hi Natalie," Loki said. "This is Jane Foster, Thor's girlfriend."

"It's nice to meet you," Natalie said, holding out a hand.

Jane smiled and shook her hand, saying, "You too Natalie. I hear you're a therapist; how'd you choose that career?"

"Bad family history," Natalie said. "Most therapists go into the field due to similar reasons. I have to admit, when I started out, becoming the Avengers' therapist was the last thing I expected."

"So why'd you get the job?" Jane asked.

"I apparently impressed Fury enough that he agreed to it as sort of a last resort to get these guys help," Natalie said, sitting down next to Loki. "By that point, though, I was actually really into the idea. My original plan was to join a clinic, and work there. As the top of my class, I had a LOT of opportunities."

"So what changed your mind?" Jane asked.

"I found Tony with alcohol poisoning, and when he woke up, I told him that I was going to save him," Natalie said softly. "I was already pretty invested in helping Loki, but when I realized exactly how broken these people are…. I guess I just couldn't let them down. I promised myself from the start that I would never be the type of therapist who just asks "And how does that make you feel?" over and over. I know how much therapy can help people, but you can really only help someone if they let you. And sometimes getting someone to let me help them is really hard. I had to have Agent Coulson almost drag Clint out of the vents to get therapy, and I can tell he's going to take a lot of work before he can really start talking to me. And Thor's initial reaction was basically, "Warriors don't need therapy," more or less."

"Thor needs therapy too?" Jane asked.

Natalie nodded. "I admit I didn't think of it at first, but on second glance, he's gone through a lot," she said. "When Loki basically jumped off the Bifrost, that was really hard for Thor. Then he found that Loki was alive, and then Loki attacked New York, and since Thor didn't notice that Loki was under mind control, he had to fight him. And it wasn't until I came along that anyone actually realized Loki had been mind-controlled, so Thor went months thinking that Loki was evil. And now Loki's back to normal, and I'm sure that threw Thor way off as well. First he thinks Loki's dead, then he thinks Loki's evil, and then it turns out Loki's actually a victim, and Thor couldn't see that. I think this morning's talk was helpful, though."

Jane sighed. "I'm glad you can help him; I'm not very good at picking up on emotional cues," she said. "I tend to spend a lot of time thinking about science, and not much time in the here and now."

"To be fair, Natalie is very good at analyzing people," Loki said. "Within ten minutes of meeting me, she knew that I had had a hard childhood and sibling rivalry issues."

"I just thought of something that was intriguing me earlier," Natalie said. "Loki, when Thor went into our room this morning, he seemed to relax, even though outside the door he was tenser. Is there something about our room that would do that?"

Loki thought for a minute, then said, "Your aura has been left in the room, and you have a very welcoming, relaxing feeling to you. It's why I trusted you almost immediately, even though I had never met you before. I imagine the reason people trust you so easily is that your aura projects a sense of calm and trustworthiness. I think Thor probably picked up on that feeling when he went into our room. Going there calms me down too."

"Huh," Natalie said. "So where is Thor, anyways?"

"He went back to Asgard to ask Mother a question," Loki said. "He should be back soon, and then we can go somewhere. Where did you have in mind, by the way?"

"I was thinking Central Park; it's pretty there this time of year," Natalie said. "Is that okay?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me," Loki said. He looked up, and said, "I believe Thor is back."

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Thor came into the kitchen, and smiled when he saw Jane. "Jane, it is good to see you," he said happily.

Jane smiled back and said, "I'm glad to see you too. How are you?"

"I am very well," Thor said happily. "I apologize for not being here when you arrived; I was asking my mother a question."

"What did she have to say?" Loki asked.

"She will help me," Thor said.

"With what?" Jane asked.

"Loki informed me Natalie's birthday is coming up, and suggested I go to our mother for advice on what to get her," Thor said.

"When's your birthday, Natalie?" Jane asked.

"June 5th," Natalie said.

"Really? I'm June 9th," Jane said, surprised. "How old will you be?"

"I'm turning twenty-three," Natalie replied. "What about you?"

"I'll be thirty-four," Jane said.

Natalie nodded, and then said, "So that means Thor's actually younger than you; he just turned the Aesir equivalent of twenty-five."

Jane looked interested, and asked, "So what's the difference between their birthdays and ours?"

"We celebrate every decade as opposed to every year," Loki replied. "Though my birthday had never been celebrated until Natalie set up a surprise party this year." Then he looked at Natalie hopefully, and asked, "Can we go now?"

Natalie giggled and said, "Yes, just let me get my purse."

She made a quick trip to their room to grab her purse, and went back to the kitchen, where Loki was waiting. Thor and Jane were gone, so Natalie took Loki's hand, and they left.

When they reached Central Park, Natalie smiled. It was a gorgeous day, and there were flowers blooming everywhere. "Let's walk around, I can show you the sights," Natalie said to Loki.

"Alright," Loki said, looking around as they walked off hand-in-hand. "This is beautiful."

"I really like it here; there's not much by way of nature where I grew up, so coming here is one of my favorite things to do," Natalie said. "I also like the Museum of Natural History."

"What's that?" Loki asked.

"It's a huge building with different parts dedicated to different aspects of the Earth- like animals, plants, the ocean, and outer space, to name a few," Natalie explained. "It's not too far from here, actually."

"That sounds interesting," Loki said.

"Would you like to go there instead?" Natalie asked.

Loki's face lit up, and Natalie smiled. "Let's go," she said.

They walked to the museum, and Natalie paid for both of their tickets. Loki looked around in interest, and Natalie led him to the Guggenheim Hall of Minerals first.

They went to quite a few exhibits, including the Hall of Biodiversity, the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hall of Birds of the World, and the Hall of Asian Mammals. Eventually they left, and headed back to the Tower.

When they got back, they found Bruce in the kitchen, cooking something. Steve, Thor, and Jane were in the kitchen too, and they looked up as Natalie and Loki came in. "Did you have fun?" Bruce asked.

"I LOVE the Museum of Natural History," Loki announced.

"That's where you went?" Steve asked. "I like it there too; they've added a lot since I was a kid."

"I nearly had to drag Loki out of there when I realized they'd be closing soon," Natalie said, smiling. "Should I let Tony know dinner's almost ready?"

"He and Rhodey are talking in his lab; probably a good idea," Bruce admitted.

"Okay," Natalie said. She headed to Tony's lab, and found him and Rhodey talking. She knocked on the door, and it opened. "Dinnertime, guys," she said as she stepped inside.

Tony looked excited, and asked, "Did you cook?"

"No, Bruce did," Natalie said. "I was busy trying to convince Loki that museums have closing times."

"Where'd you take him?" Tony asked, getting up.

"The Museum of Natural History," Natalie said. "Come on, let's go eat."

Tony and Rhodey both followed her back to the kitchen, where they found the others waiting. As soon as everyone was seated, they started passing the food around; Bruce had made some kind of Indian chicken dish and rice.

"You're really good at cooking Indian food, Bruce," Natalie commented.

"I lived in Calcutta for a while, so I learned there," Bruce said, smiling a bit. "Do you have time after dinner?"

"Sure," Natalie said. "I wanted to talk with you anyways, and we can put Loki on dishes."

"I don't LIKE dishes," Loki groused.

"I don't think many people actually like chores, but they're a necessity, and I don't trust Thor with breakable items, so he's permanently banned from dishwashing," Natalie said.

Thor drooped a bit, and Jane looked at Natalie quizzically. Seeing her look, Natalie explained, "I met the Avengers because Thor smashed my front window with his hammer and dragged Loki out the window. I saw him fly here, so I just followed."

"Thor, why didn't you just knock on the door?" Jane asked.

"Natalie lived in an apartment building at the time," Thor said defensively. "I did not know where the door was."

The others just sighed.

After dinner, Natalie and Bruce left to talk, going up to his room. "So why did you want to talk to me?" Bruce asked when they were settled.

"I wanted to apologize," Natalie said. "It was brought to my attention that transforming into the Hulk takes a toll on you, and I really should have thought of that before asking if you'd mind doing that just so I could talk with him. I'm sorry for being so insensitive."

"That's ironic, because I wanted to thank you for that," Bruce said. "No one has ever taken an interest in trying to get the Other Guy to cooperate with me- except Betty, and now you. And Betty didn't suggest what you did. I wanted to thank you for the idea, and I'll keep it in mind. I'm just not quite ready to do that."

"That's fine," Natalie said. "I don't mind either way, it was just an idea."

Bruce smiled and said, "Thanks. I'm going to go back to my lab."

"Don't stay up all night," Natalie said without thinking, then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," she said.

"Why?" Bruce said as they both got up.

"I'm so used to Tony saying that that I accidently told you what I tell him all the time," Natalie explained.

"Don't worry about it; that reaction's probably ingrained in you by now," Bruce said, chuckling. "I won't take offense."

Natalie smiled, and they headed out. Natalie got off the elevator and went back to the kitchen, and was surprised to hear what sounded like Tony and Steve fighting. As she walked in, Tony shouted, "And what are you going to do about it, Captain 'Something Righteous Crawled Up My Ass And Died'?"

Natalie couldn't help it; the name cracked her up for some odd reason, and she started laughing.

Tony and Steve stopped fighting to look at her, and Steve asked, "What's so funny?"

"S-sorry," Natalie gasped. "What Tony just called you…. I probably shouldn't be laughing, but that was really funny for some reason." She attempted to calm down, and finally managed it, then asked, "So what happened?"

Steve looked a bit disgruntled, but said, "Tony is refusing to use the light I bought him, even though I know he thinks it will help. And I don't think I'm THAT uptight."

"That's part of why it's funny; you're not uptight," Natalie said. "I'm sorry for laughing at that. And Tony, that is an absolutely ridiculous reason to start a fight. Can you at least TRY using it?"

"Mmph," Tony grumbled.

Natalie sighed. "Loki has a nightlight too, you know," she said.

"I know; he was trying to help Steve convince me that it works," Tony said.

"Are you just being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn?" Natalie asked suspiciously. "Or do you have a legitimate reason for not using the nightlight?"

Tony looked sulky, and didn't answer. Natalie sighed again. "Would you at least TRY it?" she asked.

Tony still looked sulky, until Natalie felt a hand on her shoulder and heard Rhodey say, "Natalie's right, Tony. Panic attacks are bad for your health, and if the nightlight helps, use it."

Tony drooped and said resignedly, "Fine…."

"So how'd the press conference go?" Natalie asked after a minute.

"I managed to convince them you're just a close friend, but they're having a field day with the idea that I could actually have close female friends who I'm NOT screwing," Tony said. "I hate press conferences….."

"Sorry," Natalie said.

Tony shrugged. "Not your fault," he said. "Loki did the dishes, by the way, and then left, saying he was headed to your room."

"I think I'll go find him then," Natalie said.

 **Sorry for the wait!**


	28. Chapter 28

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight: Gymnastics**

She left, and went upstairs, then went to her and Loki's room. Outside the door she heard Loki cackling rather evilly, and called, "Loki, what are you doing in there?"

She just heard more cackling, and sighed, then went in. Loki was sitting on their bed, reading something. One look at the book, and Natalie groaned; Loki had discovered her collection of Garfield comics. Without looking up, he asked, "Did you know cats have good ideas for world domination?"

"Loki…. Are you feeling okay?" Natalie asked warily. "I thought you didn't want to dominate the world anymore."

"What if I got everyone to believe that cats were behind it?" Loki asked.

Natalie went over to him and yanked the book out of his hands, then held it out of reach when he tried to grab it back. "That's enough Garfield for YOU," she said sternly. "I will not let you stage a world take-over using cats- or any other method, for that matter."

Loki pouted at her, and Natalie just raised an eyebrow, unmoved. Finally Loki sighed. "It was fun to think about….." he said.

"Okay, I'm getting rid of my Garfield stash," Natalie said. "If this is how you react to those comics, they're better off gone."

"Aww…." Loki said. "I LIKE them."

"That kind of reaction isn't normal, and I don't want the others to think you're going on another 'take over Earth' kick," Natalie said firmly. She took the book she was holding and went to the bookshelf, then took all the Garfield books off the shelves. She put them in a bag, and then noticed Loki was giving her puppy dog eyes. "NO, Loki," she said wearily. "Thor's greatest weapon doesn't work on me, remember?"

"Mjolnir is his greatest weapon," Loki said, confused.

"No it's not; his greatest weapon is that puppy dog face he gives people," Natalie said. "Though I bet he'll be proud that you learned from him."

Loki burst out laughing. "I have to tell him that!" he laughed. When he had calmed down somewhat, Loki got up and left. Natalie followed, curious to see Thor's reaction. She didn't get far; halfway out the door, JARVIS said, "Miss McKenzie, Colonel Rhodes requires your assistance. He is with Sir in Sir's lab."

Natalie changed direction quickly and took the elevator to Tony's lab, then went in. She found Tony on the floor, unconscious, and Rhodey sitting on a nearby work bench. "What happened?" Natalie asked warily.

"Tony was trying to take his arc reactor out, and I knocked him out before he got that far," Rhodey said. "I don't know what the hell he was thinking, but you seem to have at least some influence on him, so I told JARVIS to get you so you'd be here when Tony wakes up."

Natalie knelt next to Tony and put a hand on his forehead, telling Rhodey, "Stay quiet." Then she closed her eyes, and went into Tony's subconscious, looking around. For some reason everything seemed blurry, and Natalie concentrated, trying to make the blurriness go away. Finally the blurriness dissipated, and Natalie felt Tony waking up, so she extracted herself from his mind.

Opening her eyes, she noticed Tony was staring at her, and then he asked, "What happened?"

"Rhodey claims you were trying to take your arc reactor out, so he knocked you out before you got that far," Natalie said. "Why was your mind blurred?"

"I breathed something in by accident; it must have messed with my mind," Tony said, sitting up. "Sorry to interrupt your time with Reindeer Games."

"He's currently telling Thor that I said Thor's greatest weapon isn't Mjolnir, but his puppy dog face," Natalie said.

Tony and Rhodey both started laughing. "JARVIS, please tell me you recorded Thor's reaction," Tony said.

"I did indeed; would you like me to put it onscreen?" JARVIS asked.

"Yes," Tony said.

A holographic screen popped up in front of them, and Tony, Natalie, and Rhodey gathered around it.

They watched as Loki walked into Thor's room, and Thor looked up. "Brother, is something wrong?" he asked.

"No, it's just that Natalie says your greatest weapon isn't Mjolnir," Loki said, snickering.

"What does she think my greatest weapon is, then?" Thor asked, confused.

"Your puppy dog face," Loki said. "I must admit, you using that face is nearly as effective as my persuasion techniques."

"Natalie believes I look like a puppy?" Thor asked despairingly.

"You do when you make that face, and let's face it; you act like a giant puppy most of the time," Loki said.

Thor dropped his head into his hands with a moan of despair. "I do not want to be thought of as a puppy…." he moaned.

"I'm fairly certain it's only the humans who think of you that way," Loki said.

This did not reassure Thor in the least, and in the lab, while Tony and Rhodey were laughing their heads off, Natalie was feeling a little guilty. "I'm kind of regretting telling Loki that Thor's greatest weapon was his puppy dog eyes," she said. "Thor looks pretty unhappy."

"Do you really think that?" Tony asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Natalie sighed. "And I agree with Loki; when Thor's not fighting, he's like a giant puppy." Suddenly she realized something, and said, "Dammit."

"What's wrong?" Tony asked.

"I left the Garfield books in my room," Natalie said. "Loki had a rather creepy reaction to them, so I was going to get rid of them."

"What was his reaction?" Tony asked.

"He was doing his evil laugh and talking about using cats to take over the world," Natalie said.

Tony shuddered and said, "Yeah, definitely get rid of your collection."

Natalie went back upstairs and did just that, grabbing the bag of Garfield books and hiding them. Loki came back soon after, and they got ready for bed, climbing in together.

 _ **The next morning:**_ Natalie sleepily got up and went to take a shower. When she got out and looked in the mirror, she noticed her hair had turned sky blue. "LOKI!" she shrieked angrily.

"Like it?" Loki asked, walking into the bathroom uninvited.

"NO, I do NOT," Natalie snarled. "Why did you turn my hair sky blue?"

"You took away the comics," Loki said. "You do realize I was only joking, right?"

"Considering your history, I'd recommend not joking about taking over the world," Natalie said dryly. "If I give you the books back, will you turn my hair back to normal?"

"Fine…." Loki said sulkily.

"I hid the books in our closet," Natalie said.

Loki perked up and snapped his fingers. Natalie looked in the mirror as Loki left, and was relieved to find that her hair was reddish brown again. She put it into a ponytail and left the bathroom. Loki was dragging the bag of Garfield books out of the closet, and Natalie sighed and said, "I'm going to go make breakfast; come down when you're ready."

Loki just nodded, and Natalie left, heading to the kitchen. To her surprise, she found not only Thor and Steve, but also Sif and three other men in there. "Hi Sif," Natalie said. "Please don't tell me Odin sent Frigga to Jotunheim again."

"No, but we have news that both Thor and Loki should hear; where is Loki?" Sif asked.

"Still upstairs; I got up before him," Natalie said. "He's probably in the shower. Who are your friends?"

"These are the Warriors Three; Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg," Thor said proudly.

Natalie tilted her head to the side a bit, and said, "I thought Sif was part of that group. Why isn't it the Warriors Four, or something like that?"

"Sif joined our group after we had taken on that name," Fandral explained.

"Oh…." Natalie said, trailing off as she went and got a mixing bowl and the griddle. She got out the ingredients for pancakes, and a bag of chocolate chips, then started making a large amount of batter, due to the extra guests. "Steve, can you make some bacon if we have any?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Sure," Steve said. He dug two packages of bacon out of the fridge, and got out a pan, then started the bacon. Natalie, meanwhile, had finished the batter, and was putting the first batch of pancakes on the griddle. She got out a larger platter for the pancakes, and a plate for the bacon, which she handed to Steve. Flipping the pancakes, she said over her shoulder, "Thor, instead of standing there watching us, can you set the table?"

"Certainly," Thor said.

Tony, Bruce, and Loki came in as Natalie was flipping the second batch of pancakes. Rhodey had left the night before. Loki immediately looked wary. "Thor, what are your friends doing here, and why are they staring at you like you have two heads?" Loki asked warily.

"We come bearing news from Asgard," Volstagg said.

"What did Odin do this time?" Loki asked wearily.

"I am not clear on the details, but I believe he was attempting to perform the renouncement ritual to make Baldur next in line," Volstagg said. "In any case, Frigga banished him and took over as Queen. This was met with no opposition, as Odin's decisions have been questioned quite a bit lately. We were told Odin will not be back, and that we should come here and tell all of you the news."

"Finally," Natalie said. "You can tell Frigga I said congratulations on getting rid of the one-eyed bastard."

Loki snickered and said, "Good riddance."

"She has also rescinded your banishment, Loki, but she did not seem to think you would want to come back," Volstagg said.

"She would be correct in that assumption; my home now is where Natalie is," Loki said.

Natalie smiled softly at that, as she put a full platter of pancakes on the table. Loki immediately came over and asked, "Do I smell chocolate?"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Yes, they're chocolate chip pancakes," she said with fond exasperation.

Loki promptly kissed her and then said, "I love you."

"I hope it's not just because I provide you with chocolate," Natalie said.

"Don't worry, I have many more reasons- but I don't really want the others to hear this, so I'll tell you later," Loki said.

Natalie smiled and kissed his cheek before starting in on her pancakes and bacon. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Volstagg was eating like a pig, and snapped, "Volstagg, if you don't start eating like a person, I'm taking that away. Your eating habits are disgusting."

Volstagg slowed down, and the other Asgardians looked at Natalie in awe. She looked at them and said, "If this is a recurring problem, just threaten to take the food away if he doesn't start eating normally."

"Volstagg ALWAYS eats like that," Loki said, sounding disgusted. "Thankfully Thor's other friends are not as crude, or I would never have been able to eat in their presence."

"Yikes," Natalie said.

"Are you going to the training room after breakfast?" Loki asked.

"Yup," Natalie said. "Why?"

"I like watching you do gymnastics," Loki said. "You get this look like there's nowhere else you'd rather be."

"I do enjoy it," Natalie said. "Gymnastics makes me feel free, especially moves that are done in midair. For a while, however brief, it's like I can fly."

"It certainly looked like you were flying when I went in a few days ago," Tony commented. "I can see why Loki enjoys watching you."

"What is gymnastics?" Sif asked.

"It's a kind of sport that requires you to be very flexible and graceful," Natalie said. "It might be easier to understand if I showed you, though."

"You'll show us?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Sure, let me just change into my gym clothes," Natalie said. "I'll meet you all in the training room." She got up and left for her and Loki's room. Once there, she pulled out a pair of black leggings that went to just above her ankles, and a loose white T-shirt. Taking off her jeans and shirt, she pulled on the other clothes, and started her stretches. When she finished stretching, she left the room and went back down to the training room.

She found the others already in the training room, and smiled slightly at their eager looks. Walking over to the balance beam (she was still amazed by how much gymnastics equipment Tony had), she leapt onto it and said, "JARVIS, can you put on the usual?"

"Of course, Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said. A moment later, Celtic music filled the air, and Natalie started the routine she had worked out. She did two front handsprings on the balance beam, then did a split. Effortlessly lifting herself out of the split, she put both hands on the beam, and did a handstand, then flipped back onto her feet. The music was ending, so she launched herself gracefully into midair, did a flip, and landed perfectly, bowing to the group watching her. The music ended as she straightened.

Tony was the first to start clapping, but the others quickly followed suit. "That was incredible," Bruce said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. "It's been a long time since I've performed, but I still practice my moves. And I managed to base my fighting style off of gymnastics while still keeping the martial arts moves intact."

"That was very impressive," Sif said. "I have never seen someone that flexible, much less someone doing those moves on such a small surface."

"Thank you," Natalie said. "It took a lot of practice, though."

"Hey Natalie, can we chat?" Tony asked. "I've got an idea I want to run by you."

"Sure," Natalie said. "Do you want to go to your room?"

"Sure thing," Tony said. Natalie followed him out, and up to his floor. They settled down in Tony's living room, and Natalie asked, "So what's your idea?"

"I was thinking about how happy Loki seems with you living with him, and decided that since Thor also has a human girlfriend, that I should hire her too, and then they can be together," Tony said.

"That sounds like a great idea, but you might want to ask Jane first," Natalie commented.

"Oh, fine," Tony said.

"You were going to hire her and then tell her after the fact, right?" Natalie asked dryly.

"I think you know me a little too well," Tony grumbled. "Fine, I'll ask her."

"I'll leave you to it; I need a shower," Natalie said, and left.

 **Forgot to update; sorry about that. Please review!**


	29. Chapter 29

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine: The WSC**

After taking a shower and getting dressed again, she went downstairs. Tony wasn't there yet, but Loki was glaring at Fandral, and Natalie sighed, then went over and asked, "What happened?"

"Fandral was making inappropriate comments," Sif sighed. "He never learns."

"I take it I wasn't imagining the looks he's been giving me, then?" Natalie asked.

"No, and Fandral had better back off if he knows what's good for him," Loki growled.

Natalie went over to Loki and whispered in his ear, "Why not give him pink hair?"

Loki switched from glaring at Fandral to grinning evilly at him, and snapped his fingers. Fandral's blonde hair turned neon pink. Sif snorted as Thor sighed. "Must you, Brother?" he asked.

"You want pink hair too?" Loki asked menacingly.

Thor flinched and said quickly, "No."

"Then don't complain," Loki said. "That spell works much better on blonde hair, I notice."

"It's certainly more neon than when you did it to Clint," Natalie said thoughtfully.

Tony came in at this point, looking gleeful, but that faded to confusion as he asked, "What'd Robin Hood do to you, Reindeer Games?"

"He was making some rather inappropriate comments on Natalie's…. assets," Loki said grouchily. "Unfortunately, the spell is not permanent, but he will have to spend a week with pink hair."

Tony snickered, but that faded quickly when JARVIS said, "Sir, there is a call from Director Fury for you; he claims it's urgent."

Tony sighed. "Put him through; I'll never hear the end of it otherwise," he said resignedly.

A screen popped up with Fury's face on it, and he said, "Stark, the WSC-"

"Can go screw themselves," Tony said, cutting Fury off. "They tried to nuke Manhattan; they're obviously insane. And corrupt. Don't forget totally corrupt."

Fury sighed. "They found out about Loki staying there," he said.

Tony's eyes narrowed. "Don't you mean you TOLD them?" he asked. "The only people who know Loki's here outside of those of us who live here are you and Natalie's family."

"I did not tell them anything; they said something about the Museum of Natural History security cameras," Fury said. "I'll have you know I tried to tell them Loki was harmless, but they didn't listen. They never listen, and you know that as well as I do."

"Oh, I think they'll listen once I'm done with them," Tony said coldly, and cut the connection. "JARVIS, hack into the WSC's system, and call them," he said. "I'll be in my lab."

"At once, Sir," JARVIS said, sounding pleased.

Tony turned to the others in the room, and said, "Natalie, come with me, and the rest of you stay up here." His tone brooked no argument, and Natalie followed him down to the lab. "What's the WSC?" she asked.

"The World Security Council," Tony said grimly. "They believe the world should be ruled by the military, and things like world peace are anathema to them. The Council is composed of three men and one woman, all of whom are military leaders. I figured you'd enjoy watching me take them down. Having Loki here wouldn't be a good idea though."

"You're right," Natalie said as they got out of the elevator and went to Tony's lab. As they went in, JARVIS said, "Sir, I have successfully hacked the WSC's systems, and the call is going through at this moment."

"Good work, J," Tony said. He sat down in a desk chair, and a screen popped up in front of him. Natalie sat down nearby as Tony said conversationally, "So, I hear you're after Loki now."

A woman's voice said, "You know why we are after Loki, Stark. He's a danger to everyone on this planet left free."

"He's been here for months, and hasn't done anything to prove your statement," Tony said coldly. His normally casual demeanor changed into frosty calm as he said coldly, "Let's get one thing clear. You mess with my friends, you mess with me. I know where you are. I know how to take all of you down. If you mess with me or anyone I call a friend, I will crush you. I'll put all your personal information on the internet. I'll make sure you're at the top of every country's Most Wanted list, and you'll be hunted down like the rabid dogs that you are. Any wealth you have? I'll strip you of every penny. You will never be safe again. You will spend the rest of your lives running from every type of military and law enforcement on the planet. I took out the power bases of half of Asia Minor - don't think I won't destroy you if you so much as lay a finger on Loki."

Tony cut the call after that speech, and asked, "JARVIS?"

"At once, Sir," JARVIS said, sounding smug.

Natalie was looking at Tony in awe. "That was amazing," she said. "What's JARVIS doing to them?"

"Showing them pictures of their homes exploding," Tony said with satisfaction. "And shutting down their systems. I figured it would back up my words. They won't be able to tell the difference between real and fake."

"Thanks," Natalie said.

"Sure," Tony said. "Those old geezers get on my nerves. And if they don't listen- well, at least I'll finally have a reason to crush them."

"Should we go tell the others?" Natalie asked.

"Good idea," Tony said. He got up, and Natalie did the same, following him out.

The others were waiting in the living room, and Loki asked, "How did it go?"

"They won't mess with you if they know what's good for them- and if they do, I'll be more than happy to crush them; I've always hated them," Tony said.

"Thank you," Loki said.

 **~XXXX~**

 _ **The next day:**_ Tony received another call from Fury, and this time for some reason he wanted Natalie and Clint, who had just returned to the Tower, to meet with him and Phil at the Helicarrier. Natalie promptly changed into something a bit more professional, and left with Clint.

 _ **On the Helicarrier:**_ Natalie and Clint were escorted to Fury's office, and they found Phil and Fury waiting for them. They both looked grim, and Natalie asked, "Alright, what did the WSC do now?"

Fury sighed. "They're all but frothing at the mouth over Stark's announcement yesterday," he said. "Apparently once it became clear the images of their homes burning weren't real, they decided to ignore his warning. And unfortunately, they're now gunning for you, Miss McKenzie. They apparently saw the footage from security cameras at the Museum of Natural History, which showed you holding hands with Loki. They don't know you're living with him, but it might be only a matter of time. They figured out that you're the most important person in Loki's life somehow, and now they're gunning for you."

"So why is Clint here?" Natalie asked.

"I called him with you because Agent Coulson has expressed concern that some of my agents may be working for the WSC, and therefore they might attempt to harm you," Fury said grimly. "I'm sending Agent Coulson back with you two, and I want you to stay in the tower until I've got this sorted out- or until Stark ruins the Council."

Fury turned to Clint and said, "Agent Barton, you, Agent Romanov, and Agent Coulson are all to stay at Avengers Tower until further notice. And before you say anything, it's not just because of Miss McKenzie; one of the Council members said something about assassinating Stark when he thought I was listening to another person."

"Great…." Clint said. "We'd better get back."

"Good plan," Phil said.

Fury nodded, and Natalie followed Phil out, Clint bringing up the rear.

Luckily, they got back to the Tower without incident, but that luck went sour when they got inside, and JARVIS said, "Agent Barton, Agent Coulson, Miss McKenzie, there is a situation in the communal living room."

The three wasted no time in getting down there, and found Steve and Natasha tying up a man wearing some kind of uniform. "What happened?" Phil asked.

"This guy tried to shoot Tony through the window, and we captured him," Steve said grimly. "He won't say who he's working for though."

"Is Tony okay?" Natalie asked.

"He's fine, but we thought it would be better for him to be somewhere else, and Loki and Thor took him and Bruce to Tony's lab," Natasha said. "Why did Fury want you?"

"The WSC is apparently after me because I'm close to Loki, and they're planning to assassinate Tony," Natalie said. "I'm guessing that's who this guy is working for."

"Fury has ordered us to stay here until further notice," Phil said.

"What should we do with this guy?" Steve asked, motioning to the tied-up would-be assassin.

"Interrogate him, and if that doesn't work, we dispose of him," Natasha said. "Natalie, go somewhere else."

Natalie left without a word, and went to Tony's lab. She found Tony, Bruce, Loki, and Thor down there, and Tony asked, "What's up?"

"The WSC ignored your warning and now they're gunning for both me and you, since apparently they found out I'm with Loki," Natalie said grimly.

Tony smiled grimly. "They're about to rue the day they messed with me," he said. "JARVIS, pull up everything you got when you hacked them yesterday, and download it to my tablet."

"Certainly, Sir," JARVIS said.

Tony picked up his tablet, and started working. "The rest of you are free to go," he said over his shoulder.

"Come on Loki, let's go to our room," Natalie said.

Loki perked up and teleported her to their room. "Why the enthusiasm?" Natalie asked when they arrived.

"I want to prank Thor," Loki said. "Therefore, we need a planning session."

Natalie thought, then said, "Why not paint Mjolnir hot pink?"

Loki's face lit up. "That would be perfect!" he said gleefully. "Now how do we get it away from him?"

"What we need to do is get him away from it, not the other way around," Natalie said. "I don't mind being the distraction; maybe I can get him to help me bake cookies."

"You are a genius," Loki said happily, and kissed her.

When they stopped kissing, Natalie asked, "JARVIS, are the others done interrogating the assassin?"

"Yes, and they are currently carting him off to SHIELD," JARVIS said.

"Good," Natalie said. "Can you tell me where Thor is?"

"Mr. Odinson is in his rooms, Miss McKenzie," JARVIS said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Come on Loki, let's go put the plan into action."

Loki eagerly headed for the door, and he and Natalie went to Thor's room. Loki made himself invisible as Natalie knocked on the door. Thor opened the door a minute later, and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, but I'm trying out a new cookie recipe and I wanted to know if you'd like to help out," Natalie said. "Loki's addicted to a comic book series I have, and isn't listening to me."

"I will gladly help you make cookies!" Thor said happily.

"Great!" Natalie said. "Let's go." She led the way to the kitchen, inwardly smirking.

 _ **With Loki:**_ Loki teleported into Thor's room as soon as Natalie and Thor were out of sight, and looked around for Mjolnir. He found the hammer sitting by the door, and grinned before conjuring up some hot pink paint and a paintbrush. Just as he was about to start painting the hammer, though, a voice in his head said, _If you MUST paint me, I prefer green to that garish shade of pink._

It took Loki a minute to get over the shock of Thor's hammer _talking_ , but finally he said, _If you insist. I was unaware you were capable of speech._

 _Your lady knows,_ Mjolnir commented. _She was the first to recognize that I am sentient; even Thor didn't notice. He thinks I am just a magical object. When he finds out you painted me, can you pass on a message?_

 _Sure,_ Loki said. _What's the message?_

 _Tell him I'd appreciate it if he'd realize that I am able to talk, and I'd like my partner to talk to me,_ Mjolnir said.

 _It will be my pleasure,_ Loki said, smirking as he started painting Mjolnir spring green. _Why was Natalie able to hear you, by the way? Her magic isn't like mine._

 _The Dream Walker is able to speak to magical spirits, among other powers,_ Mjolnir said. _She can't speak to the spirits of the human dead, though. I must admit to being curious about her, though._

 _Why is that?_ Loki asked.

 _She is worthy to pick me up; you saw what happened when Thor was possessed,_ Mjolnir replied. _I would be interested to see if she could use my power the way Thor does._

 _You think she can call down lightning?_ Loki asked.

 _It's worth a try, at least,_ Mjolnir commented. _If she can, you, Thor, and the humans would have a back-up should Thor get injured._

 _I have yet to see humans injure Thor,_ Loki commented.

 _Thanos could manage it, and he will come, at some point,_ Mjolnir replied. _When that day comes, Natalie will need to be able to defend herself. Thanos is after her as well as you, and he has an army. She will be caught up in the fight no matter what; it would be best to give her an edge._

 _My fighting skills lie in magic and daggers, as well as hand-to-hand combat,_ Loki commented.

 _Then train her to use daggers and hone her hand-to-hand skills,_ Mjolnir said. _I am very much a last resort for her, since Thor would have to be taken out before she could use me._

Loki sighed. _I will do so,_ he said. _I just don't want her to get hurt or killed._

 _If she can protect herself properly, there will be far less chance of that,_ Mjolnir commented.

 _ **Meanwhile, with Natalie and Thor:**_ Natalie had patiently explained how to bake cookies to Thor, and was currently putting the second batch of chocolate chunk mint cookies into the oven. Thor was eyeing the first batch, and Natalie said, "They're still too hot to eat, and if you pick them up, they'll fall apart. Let them cool first."

Thor pouted, and Natalie said, "Would you like to help roll the rest of the dough into balls?"

Thor perked up again, and came over. Natalie showed him how to roll the dough into balls, and then went to check on the batch of cookies in the oven.

Just as she was taking them out, Tony's voice came over the PA system, saying, "Avengers assemble on the roof; there's someone up there and they don't look friendly."

Thor immediately ran out, and Natalie turned the oven off for the moment, following him. She had a bad feeling about this, so she kept to the shadows as she followed Thor to the roof. The other Avengers, all of them suited up, were up there soon after. Loki appeared soon after, following them out. Natalie silently followed him.

There was a Jotun standing on the roof, and they were arguing with Frigga. The argument stopped when Loki threw a fireball at the Jotun. Natalie noticed his face was twisted in rage, and edged closer to the others so she could hear better. Frigga had thrown up some sort of magical shield around herself and the Jotun, but she looked unhappy, and something told Natalie she was unhappy with the Jotun next to her.

Natalie's train of thought was derailed when Loki screamed, "Why should I believe ANYTHING you have to say!? I was abandoned by your people, and now you say I am your brother!? Maybe you should have thought of that when Odin was making my life a living Hell!"

Though confused, Natalie could see someone needed to do damage control, and went over to Loki, then said calmly, "Loki, I need you to calm down. Throwing fireballs won't help the situation, nor will screaming."

Loki looked at her, and seemed to calm down a bit. Natalie gently took his hand and turned to Frigga and the Jotun. Looking at Frigga, she asked, "I assume there's a reason behind this?"

"After I took over from Odin, I decided that it would be prudent to make peace with Jotunheim, due to the fact that Thanos is still a threat," Frigga replied. "I told Helblindi- she motioned to the Jotun beside her- "that Odin had taken from a temple a babe with the markings of the royal line of Jotunheim. He demanded to see his sibling, and I honestly did not know a way to refuse without him thinking I was trying to keep Loki from him."

Natalie sighed and asked Helblindi, "What did you say to Loki?"

"I merely told him we are brothers," Helblindi said.

"And… that caused him to throw a fireball at you?" Natalie asked skeptically.

"He also wants me to come 'home'," Loki said bitterly. "My home is where you are, not Jotunheim or Asgard."

"Was the fireball really necessary?" Natalie asked.

Loki considered that, and said, "Maybe."

Natalie mentally rolled her eyes and said to Frigga, "Frigga, I'd suggest that you and Helblindi leave; it's clear to me that Loki has no intention of going anywhere near Jotunheim, and I honestly can't blame him for that." She looked at Helblindi, and said, "I understand that you would like your brother back, but since it's quite clear he's not interested, I would ask you not to force the issue in any way. Loki's had it hard, and doesn't need more emotional upheaval in his life right now."

She felt Loki's arms wrap around her shoulders, and then Loki said, "Natalie is right. And Jotunheim is not my home. My home now is here, with Natalie."

Helblindi looked less than pleased, but he said, "Very well. I will tell Mother your decision."

Loki just nodded, and Frigga called for Heimdall. A minute later, she and Helblindi were gone, and Steve sighed. "Thanks for diffusing the situation, Natalie," he said.

"Sure," Natalie said. They went back inside, but before Natalie could go back to making cookies, her cell phone rang. Seeing it was her father, she picked up. "Hi Dad, what's up?" she asked.

" _I wanted to invite you over for dinner; my godmother is paying us a visit,"_ Mr. McKenzie said.

"Aunt Peggy's coming over?" Natalie asked excitedly.

" _Yep, and yes, Loki can come, if he wants,"_ Mr. McKenzie said. _"We're having dinner at 6:30."_

"We'll be there," Natalie said happily. "Bye!"

" _Bye,"_ Mr. McKenzie said, and hung up.

Natalie noticed Steve was looking at her, and asked, "Something wrong?"

"I had a friend named Peggy," Steve said.

"Aunt Peggy's not really my aunt; she's my dad's godmother," Natalie said. "She and my grandmother met in preschool and were literally inseparable from then on. Dad says Grandma was really worried when Aunt Peggy joined the French Resistance, but no one could ever stop her from doing something she wanted to do. She tells the best stories, too."

Steve's eyes were wide, and he asked, "Is her last name Carter?"

"Yeah," Natalie said. "She always seemed sad when Kevin asked her if she'd known you; I guess now I know why."

Steve looked overwhelmed, and Natalie asked, "Should I call my dad and let him know you'd like to come?"

Steve seemed to come back down to Earth, and said, "I wouldn't want to impose…."

"I'll call anyways," Natalie said. She picked up her cell phone and called her home number. When Mr. McKenzie picked up, Natalie said, "Hi Dad. Can I bring Steve too?"

" _Steve?"_ Mr. McKenzie asked.

"Rogers? Captain America?" Natalie asked dryly. "Jeez Dad, did you pay ANY attention when I said he was one of my clients?"

" _You're thinking about Aunt Peggy, right?"_ Mr. McKenzie asked. _"I must admit that she'd probably like that…. alright, you can bring him. I'll let your mother know. Is Loki coming?"_

"Hang on," Natalie said. She put the phone down and asked, "Loki, do you want to come to my parents'?"

"I think I will pass; I have plans," Loki said.

"Try not to destroy anything," Natalie said, and picked up the phone. "Loki's not coming this time, it'll just be me and Steve," she told her father.

" _Alright, see you later,"_ Mr. McKenzie said, and hung up.

Natalie slipped her phone back into her pocket, and said, "Alright Steve, Dad says it's fine. We're supposed to be there in three hours; you might want to start getting ready, since we have to take the subway and then walk. I have to clean up in the kitchen. Which reminds me, there's two batches of chocolate chunk mint cookies for whoever's interested."

Cue the rest of the group running for the kitchen. Natalie giggled. "Maybe I should clean later; they'll probably make more of a mess than I did," she said.

"Thanks," Steve said softly.

"You're welcome," Natalie replied.

 **Here's another chapter! Till next time!**


	30. Chapter 30

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Thirty: Reunion**

 _ **A while later:**_ Natalie and Steve got off the subway, and walked down the street. "This is a nice neighborhood," Steve commented.

"I agree, it was nice growing up here," Natalie said. "There's a playground at the end of the street, but my parents live well before that. I used to take the kids I babysat to the playground, but I stopped after a while, since I had to stop babysitting when I went to college. And there was also the problem I had with wanting to jump off the swings and do a flip, but I couldn't do that in front of the kids. I didn't want to give them any ideas."

"I imagine they'd try to imitate you; that performance yesterday was amazing," Steve said.

"Thanks," Natalie said. "I'm glad everyone liked it. Look, we're here."

"This is a big house," Steve commented.

"My parents are pretty well off," Natalie said. "They were able to afford it soon after I was born." She went up to the door and rang the bell.

They heard running footsteps a moment later, and the door was flung open by a very enthusiastic Kevin, who launched himself at Natalie. The two siblings hugged, laughing, and when they broke apart, Natalie said, "Kevin, you're taller than me!"

"I grew again," Kevin said proudly. He looked past her and said, "Hi Steve! Aunt Peggy's been nearly bouncing around ever since Nat called Dad to tell him you'd be coming. Dad keeps telling her to be careful, but she's not listening."

Natalie giggled. "Kevin, can we come in?" she asked teasingly.

"Oh! Sorry about that, of course you can," Kevin said.

Natalie and Steve followed him in, and took off their shoes. "No Loki?" Kevin asked.

"He's busy pranking Thor into oblivion," Natalie said. "I think he already painted Thor's pet hammer some ungodly color."

Kevin laughed. "I like Loki," he said.

"That's good, because I have a feeling that someday he'll be your brother-in-law," Natalie said. "Frigga's been dropping a few hints lately."

"COOL!" Kevin said happily, as they walked into the living room.

Sitting on the sofa were Mr. McKenzie, and an elderly woman with short, curly hair dyed auburn. They both looked up as Natalie, Kevin, and Steve came in. "Hello Natalie," the woman said, lifting an eyebrow as she got up.

Natalie cringed, to Steve's puzzlement. "Hi Aunt Peggy," she said. "I know, I didn't call when I graduated, and I should have told you I was working for the Avengers Initiative, and I should have told you I have a boyfriend, and above all I should have invited you to my graduation, and I'm really really sorry. Um…. you're not going to subject me to the 'and if I died the next day, how would you feel THEN' lecture, right?"

"As long as we're on the same page and you don't hide anything else from me, then I believe we can skip the lecture," Peggy said, chuckling. Then she hugged Natalie tightly. "It's good to see you," she said as Natalie hugged back.

"It's good to see you too, Aunt Peggy," Natalie said. "And I am sorry for not inviting you to my graduation."

Steve had pulled back a bit, feeling a bit out of place, until Kevin came up to him and said quietly, "Nat's going to drag you over in about two minutes."

"I heard that, Kev," Natalie said, breaking off the hug with Peggy. She brought Peggy over, and then ushered her father and brother out of the room, saying over her shoulder, "Aunt Peggy, try not to traumatize Steve; I'll be the one dealing with the aftermath."

Steve and Peggy barely heard her, looking at each other. Finally Steve said, "It's been too long, Peggy."

Peggy slapped his arm, and said, "Seventy years, to be exact."

Steve smiled a bit, and said, "You haven't changed a bit."

Peggy hugged him, and Steve hugged back as she said softly, "I always believed they'd find you. I'm just glad I was alive to see it."

"I'm sorry," Steve said quietly.

"You're alive, and that's what matters," Peggy said, letting go of him and pulling him to the sofa. "So how are you doing?"

"I've been good; I'm learning more about this era, and I'm dating Tony Stark," Steve said.

"I had wondered about that," Peggy said. "I had a feeling you might be gay, but as I'm sure you're aware, back when we met I couldn't say anything."

"Yeah," Steve said. "That wouldn't have ended well. Back then I didn't think I was gay though."

Peggy smiled, and then asked, "You're wondering about my relationship with the McKenzies, right?"

"Yes," Steve admitted.

"Charlotte Harrison –Natalie's paternal grandmother- was my best friend from when we were three years old on," Peggy said. "When I came back from the war, she was married to Gordon McKenzie, and had a baby girl named Marian. When Marian was five, Tom, Natalie's father, was born, and Charlotte and Gordon insisted on naming me his godmother. Gordon, unfortunately, had a drinking problem, and soon after his youngest daughter Lily's second birthday, he died from alcohol poisoning. I stepped in to help raise the kids, since I knew Charlotte couldn't do it on her own, and she needed someone who could help her discipline the kids. Her oldest daughter, Marian, met a guy in college, and they got married. They had three kids, Andrew, Katie, and Edward. Marian was a drinker too, however, and eventually it killed her too. Tom never really recovered from his father's death when he was ten, and when his older sister went the same way, he swore on his family name that he would never drink alcohol as long as he lived. Tom won't touch alcohol with a ten-foot pole, and even though I don't drink much, I don't mention drinking at all around him. But to backtrack a bit, six years before Marian died, Tom found Eve Thayer, and they got married. A year later, Natalie was born, and she was the light in all our lives, because Charlotte had just died. I knew from the start that there was something special about that girl, and I spent a lot of time with her. When Marian died, I was the one who explained her father's behavior to her. Tom had become rather bitter towards the world, and while it didn't last, Natalie was worried. She'll have you believe that it was her cousin Andrew's death that set her on the path to becoming a therapist, and she'll also tell you that her first word was 'button'. I admit Andrew's death was a big part of what spurred her desire to help people, but it really started when I explained that the reason her father seemed so angry was really because he was sad."

Peggy paused, and Steve asked, "What was her first word, then? She told all of us it was button."

"She actually didn't have a first word," Peggy said. "The first thing she ever said when she was old enough to talk was 'help you'. Tom was looking at a picture of his father at the time, and Eve came in with Natalie. I don't know how she knew at that age that her father was sad, but she pointed to him and said, "Help you." Tom and Eve were ecstatic that she was so smart, and I actually had to sit them down at one point and tell them that no matter how smart Natalie was, they should raise her as a normal child. They were trying to plan out a future for her, and I knew that wouldn't make Natalie happy. As she grew up, I watched, intervening when necessary, but mostly just being the grandmother figure she needed. When Kevin was born, she was ecstatic to have a little brother, and that feeling was more then returned; his first word was 'Natty', and he'd cry when she'd leave for school. When Andrew died, though, and Natalie fell into depression, I started taking a more active role in her life. I asked around to find the best therapist I could for her, and I started spending more time with her. I taught her how to fight, how to use her skills to the best advantage, and how to downplay her abilities. I was the one who encouraged her to create her own fighting style based off of gymnastics. I also talked her parents into leaving her career choice to her, and she chose to become a therapist. She graduated high school at sixteen, and won a full-ride scholarship to NYU's psych program. Natalie is my granddaughter in everything but blood, Steve, and I have never been more proud of anyone than I am of her and where she is now. I know better than anyone that Natalie can take care of herself, but I want you to promise me something, Steve."

"Of course," Steve said.

Peggy looked at him for a minute, and then said, "I don't have more than a decade left to live, and I want to know that there will be someone looking out for Natalie besides her family. I want you to promise me that you and your team will look after her, and keep her safe."

"I promise we'll all look after her," Steve said. "I'm sure the others will agree as well; everyone loves her."

Peggy smiled. "Thank you, Steve," she said.

Steve smiled, and they fell silent until Natalie came in and said, "Dinner's ready; did you have a nice chat?"

"I'm sure you know the answer to that," Peggy said, amused.

"I don't ALWAYS eavesdrop on people," Natalie said. "I was in the kitchen making salad."

"Alright, let's go," Peggy said. She and Steve followed Natalie to the dining room, where Natalie's parents and Kevin were waiting. They all took seats, and Mrs. McKenzie started dishing out lasagna, letting the others get their own garlic bread and salad. As they started eating, Peggy said, "So Natalie, I hear you have a boyfriend."

"Yep," Natalie said. "Loki's amazing."

"Loki as in the Norse deity?" Peggy asked.

"Yeah," Natalie said.

"I'm impressed," Peggy said. "So how did you meet?"

"I found him unconscious on my living room floor with the flu, and decided to take care of him," Natalie said. "His older brother Thor came and kidnapped him the next day, though, and I followed him to Stark Tower, which is where I met the Avengers. I stayed there for a few days while Loki was recovering, and things spiraled off from there."

"Describe Loki," Peggy said.

Natalie paused, thinking, then said, "When I met him, he was broken almost beyond repair. His older brother abandoned him, and his mother wasn't much better. He had severe PTSD, serious abandonment issues, and refused to trust anyone besides me- and frankly it's a miracle he trusted me at all. When I managed to get through his masks, though, even just a little, I found a very funny, highly intelligent person who loves learning and playing pranks. I've been working with him since then, and he's getting a lot better. He finally reconciled with his older brother, and his mother as well. He's a wonderful person; he just has trouble showing it. He's also very polite, and he gets along with Mom, Dad, and Kevin just fine- despite Mom's attempts to fatten him up from the moment she met him. He's still not entirely convinced that she's not planning to feed him to something, though. And he's a MAJOR chocoholic."

"And you're happy with him?" Peggy asked.

"Yes," Natalie said. "I love Loki with all my heart."

Peggy smiled slightly, and said, "Good. I'm glad you found your special someone. You'd better invite me to the wedding, though, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Natalie said. "And I will definitely invite you to the wedding."

"Good," Peggy said. "Have you been keeping up the training?"

Natalie looked a little uncomfortable, and said, "I've been focusing more on the gymnastics; I didn't want one of the others walking in on me, since I have a feeling that would lead to Fury learning the full extent of my abilities. I'm going to get back to it when I get back home tonight, though; judging by how crazy things are getting, I'll need the edge."

Peggy nodded, pleased, and then Steve asked, "Natalie, what's your full skill set?"

Before Natalie could respond, Peggy said warningly, "You'd better not be thinking of turning her into an Avenger, Steve."

"Natalie will get caught up in something sooner or later, and honestly, I'm just curious," Steve said defensively. "Does Loki even know everything you can do, Natalie?"

"No, he doesn't know most of it, actually," Natalie admitted. "Aunt Peggy trained me from the beginning to not let anyone know exactly what I'm capable of, since it would give me more of an advantage."

"Is there anything you can't do?" Steve asked.

"I can't shoot a gun; Mom drew the line at guns when Aunt Peggy and her friends were training me," Natalie said. "There's lots I can't do, but when it comes to fighting, I'm pretty versatile. I had good teachers."

"Can you use other weapons?" Steve asked.

"I fight with knives if I have to use weapons," Natalie replied. "Can we discuss this when we get home? I have a feeling the others are going to want to know too."

"Okay," Steve said.

The rest of the evening was spent with Peggy and Steve telling stories about the war, and at around eight o'clock, Mr. McKenzie said, "I'm going to drive you two back; it's too dark out for walking."

"That's much appreciated, thanks," Steve said.

They said their goodbyes, and Mr. McKenzie drove Steve and Natalie back to Avengers Tower. "Thank you for having us over," Steve said as he and Natalie got out of the car.

"Least I could do, Steve," Mr. McKenzie said. "Have a nice night."

"Thanks Dad," Natalie said, waving as she and Steve headed inside.

They found utter chaos when they got inside. Thor was chasing Loki around with Mjolnir, which was now painted spring green, and the others were watching and cheering for their favorites. "Jeez, what happened while we were gone?" Steve asked.

"Thor didn't listen when I told him Mjolnir wanted to be painted," Loki called as he nimbly dodged a swipe from the hammer.

"That is what you said about the last cookie, too!" Thor shouted. "You claimed it wanted to be eaten!"

Loki just snickered, and suddenly Natalie heard him say telepathically, _Natalie, try calling Mjolnir to you._

Natalie shrugged and held up a hand, visualizing Mjolnir coming to her. Much to her shock, Mjolnir suddenly wrenched itself out of Thor's hand just as he attempted to brain Loki, and flew to her. Natalie stared at the hammer in her hand in dumbfounded disbelief. The others weren't much better; Thor especially looked stunned, and Tony said, "What. The. Fuck."

"Um…. Sorry?" Natalie offered sheepishly. "I wasn't expecting that to work."

"I was," Loki said, startling the others. "I had quite the interesting conversation with Mjolnir while painting it. Apparently Mjolnir thinks Natalie might be able to use its power. It obviously finds her worthy to hold it." He turned to Thor and said, "Mjolnir also mentioned that it would appreciate it if you'd talk to it more often. Natalie was the first to realize it was sentient, not just an inanimate object."

"So Mjolnir LET you paint it?" Tony asked.

"It said if I had to paint it, it preferred green to the hot pink I was planning on," Loki said.

"So…. Mjolnir is sentient and thinks Natalie can call lightning like Thor does?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Loki said. He looked at Natalie, and noticed the uncomfortable expression on her face. "Natalie, are you hiding something?" he asked.

Natalie sighed. "I've always been hiding something," she said. "And it's not because I don't trust you, or didn't want you to know."

"What are you hiding, and why couldn't you tell us?" Tony asked.

"I had to get permission from my instructor before I was allowed to tell you anything," Natalie said. "I was taught from the beginning of my training that I needed to downplay my true capabilities. Sometimes I wonder if Aunt Peggy can see the future…."

"And I take it the reason you're telling us this now is that you got permission?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Natalie said. "I don't really want to, because it seems like bragging to me, but Steve asked for my full skill set, so I might as well." She took a breath, and continued, "I was trained from age ten to be a fighter. I learned military hand-to-hand combat techniques, several different martial arts, and a few weapons. Unfortunately, my mom drew the line at guns, so I never learned how to use one. I eventually decided to settle on one weapon, and chose daggers. I can technically fight with most kinds of blades, but I never learned how to use a sword; I prefer fighting with shorter blades. I was encouraged to create my own fighting style, so since I had been doing gymnastics since I was five, I based my style off gymnastics moves. I was told from the beginning that this was for self-defense and the defense of others only, and I was encouraged to act on my overprotective streak if need be. I'm very defensive of those I care about, and while I'm probably not as good at fighting as the rest of you, I'm planning on getting back to it. If I'm going to be a target, I'm not going to make it easy for people to hurt me. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys any of this sooner, but I knew I had to wait for Aunt Peggy to give the okay; she always has a good reason for telling me to do things, whether I understand it or not."

The others were silent for a few minutes, but finally Tony said, "You seemed reluctant to tell us even with the knowledge Peggy was okay with it."

"I find it's easier if people don't know everything about me," Natalie said. "And the more people who know that I have unusual skills, the more worried I get. I've been wary of people in positions of power for a long time, because I'm not exactly normal, and frankly I don't want to be turned into a weapon. I like helping people, not hurting them. And honestly, I don't think what I can do is really that important. What matters to me is that I can use my skills to help people."

"So you feel like telling us this is bragging?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Natalie said. "I don't like bragging about myself."

"I think it's good that you're able to defend yourself," Natasha said in a neutral tone. "If we ever need to fight together, it'll be good to know what you can do."

"Thanks," Natalie said. "Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"May I have Mjolnir back now?" Thor asked plaintively.

That lightened the mood, and the others snickered as Natalie looked sheepish and handed Mjolnir back to Thor. "Brother, can you PLEASE take the paint off?" Thor asked.

"Do I have to?" Loki moaned. Before Thor could respond, Loki got an expression that suggested he was listening to something, and then looked sulky as he said, "Oh, very well." He gestured, and the paint on Mjolnir vanished. Still looking sulky, Loki grabbed Natalie and teleported them to their room.

"Bedtime?" Natalie asked.

"Yes," Loki said. "I thought that was a nice paint…. but Mjolnir said it was 'itchy'!"

"Oh well," Natalie said as they started getting ready for bed. "Next time let's turn Thor's cape neon yellow!"

Loki perked up and kissed her.

 **More on Sunday; stay tuned!**


	31. Chapter 31

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Thirty-One: Thor's Failed Prank**

 _ **The next morning:**_ Loki was up first, and he noticed the water in the glass next to his bed looked off, somehow. Sniffing it, he smelled alcohol, and was puzzled. He smelled Natalie's water too- same thing. Natalie looked at him sleepily, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Someone spiked our water," Loki said. "The water smells like alcohol."

Natalie's eyes widened, and she asked, "Who would do that? Everyone here knows that I'm afraid of alcohol- why would they spike our water?"

"I don't know," Loki said. "JARVIS, has anyone besides Natalie and myself been in here since I painted Thor's hammer?"

"Mr. Odinson came into the room at 2:09 AM with a bottle of Asgardian mead," JARVIS replied.

Loki's jaw clenched, and he took both glasses of water to the bathroom and dumped them out. When he got back to the bedroom, he noticed Natalie looked nervous. "I am going to go educate Thor on why he should never get alcohol anywhere near you," Loki told her, and left.

As soon as he was out of earshot of the room, Loki said, "JARVIS, would you inform Tony of this and ask him to keep Natalie company?"

"Certainly, Mr. Laufeyson," JARVIS said.

"Thank you," Loki said, and teleported to Thor's room.

Tony was in his room, pulling on a shirt, when JARVIS said, "Mr. Laufeyson asks me to inform you that Mr. Odinson put alcohol in both his and Miss McKenzie's water glasses last night, and asks if you would go keep Miss McKenzie company. I presume Mr. Laufeyson is planning to remonstrate with Mr. Odinson on what an extremely bad idea that was."

"Thanks J, I'll go now," Tony said, and left, heading to Natalie and Loki's room.

Meanwhile, Loki had teleported into Thor's room, and found him getting dressed. Loki's appearance caused him to look up- just in time to receive a fist to the face. Thor stumbled back, surprised, and asked, "Loki?"

"WHY did you spike Natalie and my drinks?" Loki snarled. "You KNOW she's terrified of alcohol; what the fuck were you thinking!?"

"You painted Mjolnir," Thor said sulkily. "I only wished to get you back."

"That was harmless fun! Natalie is terrified of alcohol, and that much of our alcohol could have killed her if she drank it!" Loki shouted. "You are extremely lucky I noticed it beforehand, or Natalie could have died! Do you EVER think before you do things, Thor!?"

Thor looked properly ashamed, and said, "I did not think of that. I am sorry."

"You NEVER think," Loki snarled, and punched Thor in the face again before storming out.

Meanwhile, Tony had entered Natalie and Loki's room, and found Natalie sitting on the bed, staring blankly at her hands. Tony went over and sat down next to her. She didn't seem to notice him, and Tony took one of her hands in his. Natalie looked up at him, startled, and said, "Hi Tony."

"Hey," Tony said. "I heard what happened; are you okay?"

"Not really," Natalie said. "I was thinking about my twenty-first birthday; I had just started making friends at college, and they apparently decided my twenty-first birthday meant I needed to get drunk. That's actually how I met my friend Katie; I kind of overreacted to a few of the women trying to get me to go to a bar with them, and Katie not only stood up for me, but she was the one who calmed me down. She took me to a little ice cream place after she chewed out the women trying to get me to go to a bar, and we got sundaes. This was before I met Amelia and Marie. Katie left the women I was hanging out with in shock, because she's got a reputation for being very quiet, and she really raked them over the coals. She was also in the psych program, which is probably why she did that; the other women weren't, and didn't recognize the signs that I was having a panic attack. Katie did, though, and managed to calm me down."

"Has anyone ever spiked your drink before?" Tony asked.

"After that incident, no," Natalie said. "That incident spread like wildfire, and after Katie and I got close, she made sure that no one got alcohol anywhere near me. And due to the gossip hounds, no one wanted to mess with her- or with me. This was the first time anyone's gotten alcohol into something I might have drunk, and to be honest, it's scary. I'm just glad JARVIS knew who did it, or I'd be really uncomfortable around everyone besides Loki until we figured it out."

"I wonder why Thor would do that," Tony said.

"I imagine it's because Loki painted his pet hammer," Natalie replied. "The prank was my idea, though, so maybe that's why he didn't spike only Loki's water."

"Will you be okay being around Thor?" Tony asked.

"I think so, as long as he doesn't hand me anything to drink for a while," Natalie said.

"Are you sure? I don't mind telling him he has to go back to Asgard for a while," Tony said.

Natalie smiled softly. "Thanks, but you don't have to," she said. "I'll be fine."

This was about when Loki got back, still looking grouchy. "I'm going to KILL Thor," he grumbled.

"Why?" Tony asked. "Besides him spiking your waters, that is?"

"He claims it was a harmless prank, and didn't take into account that drinking Asgardian mead could have killed Natalie if neither of us had noticed that the water was spiked," Loki said grimly. "Sometimes I wonder if he even HAS a brain."

"I think I'll go get rid of whatever alcohol stash he has," Tony said, and left. Loki sat down with Natalie, and asked gently, "Are you okay?"

"I'm better," Natalie said, leaning against Loki. He wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled closer, hugging back.

They stayed like that for some time, but eventually Loki said, "I'm hungry…."

Natalie giggled. "Let me get dressed, and we can go have breakfast," she said. She got up and took the clothes she had laid out to the bathroom, then got dressed and did her hair. She left the bathroom and found Loki waiting patiently. He got up when he saw her, and they went down to the kitchen together.

Everyone was down there already, eating pancakes and bacon. They were also giving Thor rather dirty looks, and Bruce looked like he was trying to calm down. Apparently Tony had told them all what Thor did. Thor himself looked miserable. The others looked up when Natalie and Loki walked in, and Steve asked, "Are you okay, Natalie?"

"Sort of," Natalie said. "Did you leave us any bacon?"

"Yeah, there's plenty," Clint said.

Natalie and Loki took seats, and Loki handed her some bacon and pancakes. She smiled at him and started eating. It didn't take her long to notice Thor kept glancing at her, and finally she gave up ignoring him, and asked, "Thor, why did you do that?"

"It was a prank Loki often played when we were children- spiking others' drinks," Thor said. "I had forgotten that Asgardian alcohol is stronger than that of this realm, and I did not think about your fear. I am truly sorry; I merely wanted to prank my brother."

Loki choked, and Tony started pounding him on the back. When Loki got his breath back, he asked incredulously, "YOU actually tried to PRANK me!? You hate pranks!"

Thor looked uncomfortable, and said, "I thought that you would prefer me pranking you to chasing you around with Mjolnir or beating you up."

"I normally would, but I don't think the alcohol was necessary," Loki said. "If you want to prank me, do it without alcohol."

"I will remember that," Thor promised. "Mother sent me a message this morning."

"What was the message?" Loki asked.

"She had a vision, and wishes to speak with you and Natalie," Thor said. "We have been asked to go to Asgard."

Loki drooped visibly. "Can she not come here?" he practically whined.

"Mother is the sole ruler of Asgard now; we are lucky she is still able to come to Natalie's birthday," Thor said.

"Fine…." Loki said. "Natalie and I will go change into something nicer." He grabbed Natalie and teleported them to their room. Natalie followed Loki to the closet, watching as he pulled out his Asgardian clothing. She pulled out a blue skirt that went to her ankles, black tights, and a white button-down shirt. She also grabbed her black ankle boots, and changed quickly, then went to the bathroom and French-braided her long hair. Coming out, she found Loki dressed and pulling his boots on. He looked up when she came out, and Natalie noticed he looked unhappy.

"You're not happy we're going to see Frigga?" Natalie asked.

"I simply do not want to go back to Asgard," Loki replied. "The vast majority of the population was overjoyed that I had been banished. I am not fool enough to think that their resentment of me has faded."

"I'm not either, but at least we don't have to stay," Natalie said. "Frigga only wants to talk to us; and I'm sure by now she's realized that this is your home."

"I hope you are right," Loki muttered, and then said, "Let's go."

 **I think there might be one or two more chapters, and then that'll be it. There will be a sequel, however, so please send me ideas for a title; I'm having trouble thinking of one. Review please!**


	32. Chapter 32

**The Therapist**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two: Bad News**

Natalie followed him out, and they found Thor waiting at the end of the hall. From there they went to the roof, and Thor called Heimdall. The Bifrost opened and swallowed them, and a minute later they landed on the Rainbow Bridge.

They made their way to the palace from there, and the guards escorted them to Frigga's sitting room. Natalie noticed Loki was slightly nervous, but was hiding it well.

When they went in, they saw Frigga sitting on a sofa, and she got up as they came in. "I am glad you came," she said. "I am sure you know at least partially why I called you here, but firstly, Loki, I would like to apologize for bringing Helblindi to see you. I did not think it wise, but he insisted, and I did not want to ruin chances of peace with Jotunheim. I am sorry for causing you pain."

"Thank you for apologizing, Mother," Loki said. "Thor mentioned you had a vision; is everything alright?"

"Yes, this was not a warning of danger," Frigga said. "It merely confused me. I saw Thor about to hit you over the head with Mjolnir, which was green for some reason, and then the hammer was wrenched out of his hand and flew to Natalie."

Loki and Natalie exchanged glances, and then Loki said, "I painted Mjolnir last night, and discovered that the hammer is sentient. It said that it thinks Natalie might be able to use it the way Thor does. Then Thor found out about the paint, started chasing me around, and then when Natalie got home, I suggested that she try calling Mjolnir to her before Thor actually managed to hit me with it, and it worked."

"Did it say anything else?" Frigga asked.

"Mjolnir said that Thanos will come at some point, and Natalie will need to know how to defend herself, as she will undoubtedly be caught up in the fighting," Loki replied. "It also said that her using it is very much a last resort, as Thor would have to be taken out for her to use it. It is his primary weapon, after all."

"I see," Frigga said. "Have any of you an idea of why Natalie was chosen?"

"I think it's because I was the first to recognize that Mjolnir was sentient," Natalie said. "I think it wants someone to talk to."

"I agree; Thor only sees Mjolnir as a weapon, but I think it wants to be seen as a partner," Loki said.

Before Frigga could reply, there was a knock on the door, and Frigga called, "Enter."

The door opened, and a man who looked to be about Frigga's age came in and bowed. "My apologies for disturbing you, my Queen, but there is a man requesting an audience with you."

"Did he state his name and why he seeks an audience?" Frigga asked.

"He claims his name is Oddr," the man said. "But he refused to give a reason for requesting an audience."

"Inform him I will meet with him in the throne room," Frigga commanded.

"Understood, my Queen," the man said, and left.

Frigga looked at her sons and Natalie, and said, "All of you come with me." Then she swept out, and they followed her. They went to an antechamber that led to the throne room, and Frigga said, "Natalie, I would like you to observe this person, but not show yourself. I have heard you are very perceptive. If you sense or see anything off about this person, let Loki know."

"I understand," Natalie said. She followed them out into the throne room, but quickly hid herself in a spot where she could see and hear everything. The man was let in by the guards, escorted by the man who had informed them of his presence. He was wearing a hooded cloak, which Natalie immediately thought suspicious. "Thank you, Lord Tyr, you may go," Frigga said.

Tyr bowed and left, and Frigga asked the man, "Why have you come before me?"

Natalie noticed a subtle shift in the man's posture as he gave some excuse that she didn't quite catch. Worried, Natalie looked closer, and saw that the man was holding what appeared to be a short sword. The man shifted again, and Natalie called telepathically, _Loki, this guy is holding a sword, and I think he means to attack Frigga._

She didn't get an answer, but Loki had apparently warned Frigga, and was currently tensing up. The man didn't seem to notice, and therefore seemed shocked when a green and gold energy field appeared out of nowhere, and tied him up. Loki stalked over and tore the man's hood off, revealing Odin.

Natalie barely restrained a snarl, and kept watching as Frigga said coldly, "So, Odin, you thought you could outwit Loki? You are a fool- though I do wonder how you came to be here."

"I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine," Odin said.

"That merely answers why you are here; it does not tell us how you got here," Loki commented.

"I have no need to explain myself," Odin said arrogantly.

"Considering the fact you are supposed to be banished and now considered a peasant, I would disagree," Frigga said calmly.

Natalie watched the conversation, and suddenly felt something at the edge of her senses. She closed her eyes to concentrate, and then felt someone behind her. She spun, and saw the man Frigga had called Tyr behind her. "Something is off about Odin," he said quietly.

"I'm aware of that, but I can't figure out what it is," Natalie replied, her voice equally quiet. Suddenly an image of Odin clasping arms with a being Natalie knew to be Thanos flashed through Natalie's mind, as if someone had hit fast-forward on a movie. The image stopped on what appeared to be a yellow gem embedded in Odin's left palm. Natalie watched the image fade, and then said to Tyr, "Odin has a yellow gem embedded in the palm of his left hand; could that be why he feels off?"

Tyr's eyes widened. "That sounds like the Mind Stone," he said. "What else did you see?"

"Odin is in league with Thanos," Natalie replied. "That's probably where he got the stone. What now?"

"We tell Queen Frigga," Tyr said grimly. "Can you do it unobtrusively?"

"Telepathy," Natalie said, and said telepathically, _Frigga, Odin is in league with Thanos and he's got a yellow gem embedded in his left hand._

 _Thank you,_ Frigga said, and then out loud said, "Odin, you have run mad. Allying yourself with Thanos and accepting the Mind Stone? You are not fit to be king of a rock, much less of Asgard."

Odin was looking somewhat nervous now, and Frigga asked, "What does Thanos want from us?"

Odin didn't respond, and Frigga gestured, blue sparks appearing at her fingertips. Speaking as if the words were being ripped from him, Odin said, "Thanos wants control of the Nine Realms, and sent me to retake the throne of Asgard. He plans to use Midgard as a base from which to conquer the other Realms after he kills Loki, the Dream Walker, and the Avengers."

"When will he attack Midgard?" Frigga asked.

"He will be ready to attack in three months' time," Odin said through gritted teeth. "I do not know precisely when the attack will occur, but he plans to attack the same city he did when he was using Loki as his pawn."

Frigga looked grim, and said, "Loki, take the Mind Stone from him."

Loki went over to Odin, who was still immobilized by the energy field Loki had created, and grabbed his left wrist, ignoring Odin's struggles as he flipped Odin' hand over, revealing the Mind Stone embedded in Odin's palm. Loki conjured a dagger, and cut the Stone out of Odin's hand. With a wave of his hand, the blood on the Stone vanished, and he brought it to Frigga. She took it, and then looked back at Odin. "Odin, you have overstepped far too many times," she said coldly. "I fear banishing you is no longer a viable option."

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I have an idea," Loki said.

"Go on," Frigga said.

"Bind his powers and send him to Jotunheim; let the Jotnar deal with him as they see fit," Loki said.

Frigga considered that, and finally said, "Very well." She rose to her feet, and called for the guards. The doors opened, and the guards outside the door came in. "Put this man in chains and escort him to the Bifrost," she commanded. "Thor, go with them and explain the situation to Heimdall."

"Understood," Thor said as the guards said, "As you command, Your Majesty."

They left, and when the doors closed, Frigga said, "Natalie, you and Lord Tyr can come out now."

Natalie walked over to her and Loki, followed by Tyr. "Natalie, how did you know that Odin had the Mind Stone?" Frigga asked. "Or that he was in league with Thanos?"

"I felt like something was off about him, and when I concentrated, I saw him and Thanos shaking hands," Natalie said. "Then the image showed him alone, and then his left hand, with the Mind Stone embedded in it. I relayed that to Lord Tyr, and he told me to contact you. I don't know why I had that vision, though; it was helpful, but I've never had visions before. And I don't think that's part of my powers."

"It should not be, you are correct," Frigga said thoughtfully. She put a hand on Natalie's forehead, concentrating for a few minutes before saying, "I can sense the Norns' powers; they must have given you this power."

"So I'm going to get random visions now?" Natalie asked.

"So it seems," Frigga replied. "A word of wisdom; even if you see something happen before it does, does not mean you will be able to change the outcome."

"I'll try to remember that," Natalie said. "But why was I given an extra power?"

"If I were to guess, it is most likely because Thanos is on the rise, and you are now a part of the fight," Frigga said.

Natalie sighed as Thor came back. "Heimdall has sent Odin to Jotunheim," he said. "We should return to Midgard; they will need to know what we have learned."

"Be safe," Frigga said softly.

"We will," Loki said.

After saying their goodbyes, Loki, Thor, and Natalie went back to the Bifrost, and Heimdall sent them to Avengers Tower. They found the rest of the team waiting, and Tony asked, "Everything okay?"

"No," Loki said grimly. "We learned some disturbing news about Thanos, and it might be a good idea to let Fury know as well."

"Fury's on his way over, something about an update; you can tell him when he gets here," Tony said.

 _ **Sure enough, ten minutes later:**_ "Sir, Director Fury is here," JARVIS announced.

"About time," Tony said as Fury came in. "Hey Nick, what's up?"

Fury glared at Tony, but it looked somewhat half-hearted to Natalie. "The WSC has been apparently disbanded," he said. "All the members are now on the run from every military and law enforcement agency on the planet, and all their personal details have somehow made it on the internet."

"I told you they'd rue the day they messed with me," Tony said smugly.

Fury nodded and said, "How are things going here?"

"We have news that you won't be happy about," Loki said. Fury turned a one-eyed glare on him, and Loki said, "Thanos is planning on taking over Earth still, and will be ready to attack in three months' time, though we are unsure of whether or not he will actually attack then or if it will take longer. We do know that he plans to attack this city first, as we all are his first targets."

"So you're telling me that we have to deal with another world takeover attempt in three months?" Fury asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Yes," Loki said. "But this time you'll also have me to fight Thanos."

"Does he have anyone still helping him?" Fury asked.

"He commands the Chitauri army, and has a servant of some sort who is known as the Other," Loki said. "I don't know of any others, but that's more than enough to be going on with; the Chitauri army is massive, and Thanos himself is extremely powerful as well."

Fury sighed. "Then we'd better start preparing," he said.

 **That's the end of Part One. I hope everyone enjoyed, and I will post the sequel, which still needs a title, when I finish it- which unfortunately probably won't be for a while. Please let me know if anyone has ideas for a title, and thanks for making this my most popular story ever!**


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